


Daybreak ('s our hearts to pieces)

by Arenhai



Series: Super! Au [1]
Category: Final Space (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, F/M, It's not gonna be a oneshot, M/M, So it begins again, Super! Au, Tags to be added, another WIP
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:01:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22805278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arenhai/pseuds/Arenhai
Summary: Gary Goodspeed, aka Daybreak, is the most nefarious villain on the west coast.Little Cato, aka Little Claw, is a young hero looking to make a name for himself and escape the foster home he and his friends live in.Quinn, aka Nightfall, is the leader of a small group of vigilantes looking to tear Daybreak down.Avocato, aka Dark Claw, is the nemesis of Daybreak, and does his best to keep the man's more destructive moods in check.((Basically Gary forcibly adopts (kidnaps) Little Cato, and there's no chance this will stay a one-shot will it?))
Series: Super! Au [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1639471
Comments: 139
Kudos: 69





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MercuryWells](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercuryWells/gifts).



Gary reclined on his throne, not even deigning to look down the corridor to where the new ‘super’ hero was fighting his robots. He clicked irritably on his communicator, frowning as his character suffered a critical hit and disappeared in a flash of pixels.

_ 'Cheaters' _

“I’m gonna get you! I’m gonna get you so good!” The young hero shouted aggressively as Gary let out a scoff, lazily glancing down to see the nimble fighter land a blow on Carl, sending the SAME stumbling into George and Robert, knocking the three of them down.

_ ‘Aw cute, he actually managed to get half of them.’ _

With a wave of his hand, several more SAMES entered the room and surrounded the hero. (Steve, Beth, Karlee, Kenny, Daina, and Patricia. Of course, he knew all their names, he named them himself! They were practically his children!)

The hero let out an adorable little hiss, flexing his hands and letting electric claws spring from his ( hopefully ) insulated gloves. Gary glanced down at his watch, wincing at the time. This was taking longer than he thought, he still had to kidnap the mayor downtown later. And hopefully, after that, a date with Dark Claw. Just the thought of the anti-hero chasing him through the streets had him letting out a small sigh. 

_ ‘I’ll convince him to join me one day, until then though…’ _ He looked back to the hero, who was in the process of gouging out Karlee’s optics.

_ ‘Yeesh, bloodthirsty little thing’ _

“Alrighty kiddo-” He began.

“I’m not a kid!” The hero’s voice cracked in the middle of his declaration. Much to Gary’s amusement. He let out a small snort that had the kid hero looking at him in anger.

_ 'Never take your eyes off your opponent's kid'  _ As if echoing his thoughts, Karlee threw out a blind punch that had the hero hissing and stumbling back.

“Yeah, sure. Anyway, I’ve got a date to keep with the mayor, can we wrap this up? Bigger fish to fry and all that.” He rolled his mechanical hand in an impatient manner, doing his best to smother a yawn with his other hand. He didn’t really have the energy for his normal theatrics today, and he still had so much to do…

“We’ll wrap it up when I hand you to the LAPD in handcuffs Daybreak!” The hero-  _ What’s his name, something dumb, ugh I should have listened to his monologue, Smallpaw? Tiny claw? Little Claw? That was it! Little Claw, huh… Why-’ _

Little Claw let out a yelp of pain as one of the SAMES (Steve, god Steve was always the competent one) managed to land a heavy blow to his chest, knocking him into the arms of Kenny and Daina. He tried to pull himself from their iron grip, and when that failed, he tried to flip and kick one of them. 

Maybe he misjudged the angle. Maybe the force behind it, but when he flipped, Kenny’s arm released from its socket. Letting out a tiny mewl of surprise, the hero rotated all the way through the air, before slamming his head hard against the metal floor. The room echoed with the noise, as Little Claw collapsed bonelessly in the Daina’s hold. Gary let out a bellowing laugh, holding onto his stomach as he stared at where the teen had fallen.

“Oh, shit, that sounded like, really really bad. Super embarrassing too.”

The hero didn’t respond. Silence stretched out for several moments, the only noise coming from the sparking of the SAMES he managed to damage. (Carl, George, Robert, Karlee, and Patricia.  _ ‘God they’re gonna be obnoxious to fix.) _

“Kid? C’mon, did you seriously knock yourself out?” Gary let out a huff as he finally stood from his throne, cape fluttering as he walked down the steps towards the incapacitated hero. The SAMES kept their hold on him, as Daybreak waved a hand passed Little Claw’s eyes.

“Holy shit, little dude is conked out.” He let out a low whistle, ending in a slight chuckle.  _ ‘Hysterical. He really knocked himself out! Talk about desperate!’ _ He let out another laugh, before signaling the SAMES to walk with him. Carrying the young hero with them to the medical area of his fortress. The kid was just, too young and hilarious to snuff out just yet.

He pulled out his communicator and dialed his personal assistant's number, smiling as she picked it up before the first ring.

“Daybreak sir, how can I help you?” Her peppy voice sounded over the line. A hologram of her popped up, showing straight black hair that was pulled into a ponytail, eyeliner sharp enough to cut painted over her almond eyes.

“Ew, god Shannon, call me sir again and I'll vaporize you. I'm not that old!” He flinched dramatically, holding a hand to his chest and angling the camera so she could see how offended he was. She replied with a deadpan tone that had him chuckling internally.

“To be fair, thirty is around the time most supers think about retirement.” His eye twitched as he imagined summoning light behind her and smacking the back of her head. She didn’t look up as she typed away at her computer, fingers click-clacking on keys.

“We’re the same age woman!” His eye twitched as he walked down the path, feeling a spark of his power fill his hands made him take a deep breath. 

_ ‘Maybe I am more tired than I thought.’ _

The typing stopped as Shannon made eye contact with him. Even though his hand was well hidden from her view, he knew that she had seen the flare-up. She didn’t say anything, just raised a judgemental eyebrow at him.

He let out a scoff. He was fine, he was better than fine! He was Gary goddman Goodspeed, so what if he hadn't slept in two days. That's what caffeine was for!

“I need you to cancel the operation tonight, I had something come up.” He looked at the still unconscious teen as the SAMES placed him on a table. She sputtered at him as he walked, staring at him in shock as she stood from her desk.

"Is that a child? Daybreak what did you-" She began, for once true anger showing on her normally calm visage. He knew she wasn't evil, god if his spies were correct she was acttualy a hero. It still stung him that she thought he would hurt a child.

_ 'Kid did it to himself, I'm not guilty this time!' _

"Don't worry about it. Just call off the attack for tonight."

“Daybreak, we’ve been planning this for weeks now!” Her indignant voice screeched, her hologram momentarily fizzing out. When it refocused she was glaring balefully at him.

“And if we don’t strike now the good guys will be confused! Just move it to next weekend, isn’t the guy holding a ball or something?”  _ ‘Haha, the mayor is always holding balls’ _

“Yes, but-"

"Shannon, do your job. I’ll figure it out, just make it happen.” She glared, but nodded as she sat back down. He made a mental memo to give her a raise. She might complain, but she would always get whatever he asked done. Or she might finaly snap and try to kill him. Wouldn't be the first personal assistant who tried.

“I also need you to look into the hero registry and find someone named Little Claw. Get me everything they have on him.”

* * *

Gary frowned as he read over the files Shannon had retrieved for him. (And organized, god that woman was getting a raise).

_ Little Claw, also known as Little Cato. No last name on record. Human Feline Hybrid, blood type AB+. Fourteen, and in the foster care system. History of being a “Difficult Child.” _

Gary let out an angry growl, knowing from personal experience that being “Difficult” was another way of saying “You’ll never be adopted because you did something we didn’t like”.

Apparently he entered the system six years ago. The kid was eight when his mother died, no registered father, no registered living relatives.

He was currently living in a group home, the contact number floating through Gary’s head like a catchy pop tune stuck on repeat.

Glancing over at the wall showed it was four in the afternoon. Surely the home would want to know where he was. If he was registered they would need to know. Right? The guardians of the house would need to know that he was alright. 

_ 'Captured by a supervillain isn't necessarily alright, but he's not dead. Fuck should he be in school right now? Do they even know he's registered as a hero?' _

A ball of iron sat in his stomach as he dialed. 

_ ‘God let me be wrong just once.’ _

_ Ring _

_ Ring _

_ Ring _

_ Ring _

It clicked as it went to voicemail. 

_ “Hello, this is Clearance, time is money so don't waste mine. Leave a message.”  _

He dialed the number again, the feeling in his gut slowly crystallizing into an icy cold.

_ Ring _

_ Ring _

_ Ring _

_ Ring _

It clicked again, and Gary crushed the phone to dust in his hand.

_ ‘I’m never wrong, am I?' _

* * *

Little Cato groaned as he lifted a hand to his head. Frowning at the fluorescent lights above him, he struggled to remember what happened. Why was he laying on a cold table??

He shot up as the memory of the fight hit him like a truck. He muffled another groan in his hands as he remembered the end of the fight, being grabbed and then-

‘ _ Then knocking yourself out like a dingus’ _

“Good morning Little Cato.”

Ice ran down his spine as he heard his name. He flipped around, muffling a whimper as his head pounded, making its displeasure of the action known. 

There, sitting right across him with his chin cradled in his hands, was the most infamous supervillain on the west coast.

“D-Daybreak!” He grit his teeth at the stutter, bringing his hands up in a familiar fighting stance, non-mechanical claws poking over his fingers. He stumbled off the table as the room spun, but he ignored it and shifted his stance wider.

Daybreak hadn’t moved from his position, aside from his mouth sliding into a smile.

“What do you want with me?”  _ ‘Don’t panic don’t panic, he’s just a human. A genius human. A genius human with unmeasurable cosmic power who practically swept through the west and took over everything, until the military said: “Fuck it you can have it.” Yeah, don’t panic. Why would you panic? You’re a genius too. Young, maybe he’ll go easy. If he underestimates me I’ll have a chance. Or he could just wipe me out. Oh god, he wanted me awake to do that. What if he wanted to send a message about how bloodthirsty he is and televise it? Shit shit shit Ash and Fox will see that for sure. They’ll want revenge and come here and he’ll kill them. They'll be just as dead just as gone. Dead and gone dead and gone deadandgone’ _

“Kid. Kid! Hey! Breath okay? Focus on my voice, and breathe with me. In one-two-three-four. Out one-two-three-four. In one-two-three-four. Out one-two-three-four.” In the midst of his panic, he never noticed Daybreak stand and walk over. He could barely register the hand that was placed on his shoulders. But somewhere in his panic, he listened to the voice and matched his breathing with the counts.

The world slowly came back into focus, Daybreak’s concerned eyes locked on to his.

“You back?” Little Cato nodded, not trusting his voice just yet.

“Okay, great. Jeez kiddo I know I’m awesome and all, but don’t you think that was a little bit of an overreaction?”

He narrowed his eyes.

“Sorry, guess you’re not up for jokes yet. That’s great though!” Daybreak clapped him on the shoulders and spun away, walking to the other side of the room. “That way, you’ll know what I’m about to say isn’t a joke!” He planted both hands on the table, leaning over with a toothy grin.

“Come work for me!”

“What?” He didn’t trust his ears, surely the villain didn’t just offer him, the hero, a job.  _ 'Oh god, I'm concussed.  _ _ AND STILL HERE I SHOULD BE RUNNING' _

“C’mon, I didn’t stutter did I? Come work for me! You’re genius kiddo, I poked around your tech while you were out.” Daybreak held up one of his combat claw gloves, wiggling it for unneeded emphasis.

“You designed this stuff based off of Dark Claw’s right? Obviously you’re a fan of his, don’t worry.” He leaned in conspiratorially, holding up a mechanical hand as if to block the view of his lips from some unseen audience.

“I’m a big fan of him too!” He couldn’t help it, he let out a small laugh at the man holding his weapon  (and his life) in his hands. Daybreak smiled, obviously happy at making him laugh.

“Even then! This stuff is amazing, think of what you could do with a little training, some resources, a decent meal! I know that group homes are basically a joke about really caring about kids.”

“What.” His voice was icy cold, all the previous laughter at the clownish villain before him lost.  _ 'God what does he know. Does he know about the others? How did he find out about me? He already knows my name, what else does he know? Everything, lets assume he knows everything. Fuck fuck fuck fuck' _

Daybreak continued on, unaffected by the change.

“I’ll train you up as my little protege, give you anything you need to make new tech, and you’ll never have to-”

“Let the kid go Daybreak!”

The call echoed out from a distance, Daybreak’s face momentarily brightened, a toothy grin brightening the room. He quickly schooled his face, turning expressionless. He stood up and grabbed his cape from the table where it sat in a pillowed lump.

_ ‘He let me use his cape as a pillow?’ _

“Sorry kiddo, we can talk shop later. I gotta go deal with Dark Claw.” He turned away, typing furiously at a communicator in his hand. He waved cheerfully over his shoulder.

“Kevin will be here in a moment, he’ll show you to your room, see ya later!”

“But I don’t-”

The door slammed shut behind Daybreak.

"What the fuck is happening?"

* * *

Avocato tucked underneath one of the SAMES (Susan) punches, giving it an uppercut that sent it flying across the hall. He continued on like this, sending SAMES flying from his attacks as his hands dripped darkness. He approached the throne room, expecting to see Daybreak reclining even after hearing him tear through his forces.

It was rather surprising to see the throne empty.

“Ah shit, you got here too fast.” Avocato spun, fist flying through the air as Daybreak’s voice sounded out behind him. The man gave a cheeky wave as he ducked underneath the blow, rolling backward as Avocato shifted his stance and kicked at him.

“C’mon babe, don’t you have any banter? Our dances always sound better with a song don’t ya think?” Daybreak winked at him, the mask over his eyes mirroring the action through unnecessarily complex tech. 

Dark Claw frowned at him, swiping a clawed hand that sent several bolts of dark energy towards the villain. Daybreak had done terrible things before, but kidnapping a child? Something was weird about this, and frankly, Avocato didn't care. He was gonna grab the kid, get out, and hopefully punch some sense into Daybreak.

“H.U.E turn on Medicine by Daughter!” An electronic beat began drumming in the background as Daybreak threw up his hand, covered in a golden glow. Avocato ducked backward, avoiding being blinded by the attack.

“Where’s the kid Daybreak!” Avocato growled as he dropped to the ground, spiraling with a sweeping kick. Daybreak jumped over with an unnecessary flip, landing in a crouch meters away.

“Aww, babe. Love the parental energy, really. It looks super sexy on you.” Avocato sent several dark blasts towards him, forcing the man to dodge around them. Daybreak slammed a fist into the ground, throwing up a blinding flash of light. Avocato rubbed at his eyes for half a moment, tensing as he felt two arms wrap around his chest in a hug.

“Kid’s with a sitter, let's just enjoy our time together.” The hands caressed his shoulders as he threw his head back. He missed, and all he got for his efforts was a sultry laugh moving away from behind him. He kept his eyes shut, perking up his ears as he listened for any noise.

The room seemed silent, the only sound was his slightly labored breathing, until there was a sharp intake of air from the other end of the room.

“OhMyGoshIt’sDarkClaw!” 

His eyes flashed open as the young hero clasped his hands together, staring in awe at him. The teen eye’s were slightly unfocused, and there was a lump on his head, but overall he looked unharmed. For half a second he froze, the image of the teen being overlapped by a much older, more mature person that he hadn’t seen in almost fifteen years.

_ ‘He looks just like-’  _ This wasn’t the time or place, he shook his head and refocused. He could ask who the kid’s parents were later.  _ '(There's no chance, he died ages ago, focus man. Focus!)' _

“Kiddo, go back to your room, daddy and I are talking!” Then, slightly more muffled “H.U.E where the hell is Kevin?”

“C’mon boy, we need to leave.” Avocato took a step towards him, before freezing as Daybreak’s laughter filled the throne room. It seemed to echo and reverberate from all directions.

“Babe, you’re not leaving me yet are you?” Faster than his eyes could track, several streams of light shot from around the pillars. He dove to the side to dodge one, before two more wrapped around his leg. He slashed at them with his hand, darkness severing the cords in seconds. 

He struggled free for a moment before several more came flying towards him. He twisted his body, dancing out of the way before they could connect. 

They were flying to where the kid stood, staring in awe.  _ ‘Move kid!’ _

He flew forward, grabbing the teen by the scruff of the neck and tossing him out of the path of the light tendrils. He ignored the teen’s shout at being manhandled, trying to focus on bringing his power to bear.

Before he could summon the darkness, the streams made contact with him. They cocooned his body, wrapping around every bit of exposed flesh like he was some ethereal mummy. He struggled for half a second, before they released a blinding shock. His limbs flexed and coiled from the pain, trying to  _ get away get away. _ His last sight was the teen running to his side as Daybreak’s laughter filled his ears.

"Don't touch  **our** son like that."

* * *

Little Cato was doing his best to keep his breathing calm as he watched the two  (most badass, most amazing, fighters he had ever seen ) fight. It was so much better than watching any videos he had managed to hack free from government databases.

Until the streams of light came from the pillars. They moved independently of each other, but each one seemed to converge on Dark Claw, swirling around the room and trying to box him in.

The hero wasn’t known as one of the most agile for no reason, however. Dark Claw demonstrated this by dodging and dancing around each of them as they came, and any that managed to wrap around him were quickly served.

The dance pushed him to the center of the room, where several streams all flowed towards him at once. The hero leaped over them, landing safely and turning to see where they were headed.

Towards him. They were headed straight towards him. Little Cato wanted to force his body to move, to dodge, do anything other than sit there. But it felt like his muscles were locked down, like someone had hijacked his nerves and the only command firing through his synapsis was to  _ ‘Stand still’ _ .

Faster than he could blink, Dark Claw was by his side, lifting him and tossing him clear of the tendrils. As he flew through the air, he saw the streams wrap around his idol in slow motion, slowly covering the man head to toe in the ethereal glow.

He landed and instinctively tucked his body into a roll. He jumped to his feet and ran forward, reaching for Dark Claw even as his idol's body twitched and spasmed. 

“Dark Claw!” He slid across the ground, and began frantically pulling at the strands of light. They didn’t burn as he expected, instead, they felt like standing out in the sun, warm. But regardless of how hard he tugged, they wouldn't unwind, they wouldn't loosen.

“Kiddo, that’s not your present to unwrap!” A mechanical hand gently ruffled his mohawk, metallic bits pulling several hairs from his head. He hissed his displeasure, spinning on the ground and hunching over in a defensive pose. Keeping himself between Dark Claw and Daybreak.

Daybreak who was picking blue hairs from his hand with a small frown. He finally looked up, and did something unexpected.

He cooed.

“Awww! Look at how cute this is! H.U.E! Take all the pictures the memory banks can hold, this is the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen!” Daybreak held his hands together in front of his chin, eyes sparkling. 

(Unknowingly mirroring the same pose Little Cato himself had done minutes earlier.)

“You are just so precious!” He leaned down and pinched Cato’s cheek, pulling at the fur-covered flesh harshly before leaning back. His smile was gone.

“You’re not strong enough to protect him yet kid. Now get out of my way.” He felt a shiver rock his body as he stared at Daybreak. This wasn’t the man who lounged on the throne, or took him to the medical area and offered him a job, this was Daybreak. The terror of the west, the man with the power of the stars and the mercy of the void. This was a villain.

Little Cato grit his teeth and hissed again, flexing his hands until claws popped out of hiding and slashed upwards. Without missing a beat, Daybreak grabbed his wrist with his metal hand, squeezing threateningly. The other hand came up, several orbs of light blooming into existence around them.

“Careful kid. I’ve been nice so far, I would hate for you to see me be mean.” Daybreak’s voice was as cold and dead as his expression. There was nothing of the light the man wielded reflected in his eyes. Only the aching emptiness of the void. 

He shook in fear even as his other hand raked up, electricity sparking from the claws. (Daybreak had left his weapons in the room, why had he done that?) Daybreak pulled back from this blow, weary of catching it and absorbing the electricity flowing through it. 

“Last warning-” Daybreak wasn’t able to finish his threat before Little Cato kicked up with his left leg, planting the foot on his chest and kicking off with as much force as he could muster.

The air left Daybreak in a rush as several of the lights flickered out from where they were hovering. Little Cato kept up the assault, even as Daybreak stumbled backward, hastily erected barriers barely saving him from being mauled or shocked. The man didn't laugh with the blows. Didn't smile, only a dead expression and flickers of a frown where blows came particularly close. 

“Enough!” Crossing his arms in an X before his chest, Daybreak released a torrent of light energy that sent him flying across the room, rolling before coming to a stop by Dark Claw’s unconscious form. Before he could scramble to his feet, several of the tendrils unwrapped themselves from Dark Claw’s body, before encircling his wrists and ankles. 

Daybreak cracked his neck side to side as he walked forward, the same dead look in his eyes. The bindings tightened their grasps.

“Oh kiddo…” Little Cato hung his head down, not willing to look at Daybreak, even as the man gently reached up to cup his cheek.

“That was awesome!” 

_ ‘What’  _ His head snapped up, looking at the smiling villain.

“You did just fine for your first time, I’m guessing this is your first time in a real fight right?”

Cato slowly shook his head no. 

_ ‘God his mood swings make Ash seem stable.’ _

“Oh, well still, you did great!” The hand moved up his head to ruffle his hair again (flesh hand this time). 

“Next time though…” The restraints tightened again until he felt his bones creak under the pressure, one tendril came underneath his chin and forced his tearstained eyes to look at Daybreak’s cold ones.

“When I give you an order. Obey.” The tendrils began to spark and flicker, and if he was any judge, he was about to be shocked into unconsciousness.

He frantically struggled, whipping his body from side to side as he strained against the unmoving restraints. 

The villain let out a small chuckle.

* * *

Gary just couldn’t help but laugh at the young hero. Dark Claw had been his nemesis for years, and so far was the only one to be able to actually break free of the lights grasp. He shook his head, before raising his fingers to snap.

He didn’t need to do it to activate his powers, but it never hurt to be dramatic right?

Sirens began blaring across the fortress, a piercing ring that demanded attention as part of the room exploded inward. The rubble flew violently across the room, smashing into the other side of the corridor as Gary pinched the bridge of his nose. 

“Oh for-, what now?” He growled out as smoke billowed across the room. 

_ ‘God damn it.’ _

He instinctively tilted his to the side, dodging a bolt of lightning that left the smell of ozone filling the room. He shifted his light into a wall and slammed it against the ground, blowing the smokescreen back out of the hole and revealing a group of people he really didn’t want to deal with.

Shock, Awe, and Nightfall, and two others he didn’t recognize. One was a girl with bright pink hair and corpse-like skin, floating above the others covered in purple fire.

The other was a mountain of a person, covered head to toe in low-grade tech, holding a machine gun that was as long as Gary was tall. 

“Give Little Claw  **back!”** The floaty girl’s visible eye filled with black as she flung her hand towards him, a torrent of that purple fire flying out and snaking towards him.

“Find your own, he’s mine now!”

He raised his hand and a bubble of light surrounded the fire, slowly shrinking down into a marble-sized ball that he chucked over his shoulder. 

“New recruits? I thought you guys weren’t accepting applications?” He asked in a teasing tone as the giant leveled his gun at him. He moved his fingers, quickly summoning a barrier between the bullets and him.

The fact that Little Claw and Dark Claw were protected from the bullets too had everything to do with how close they were to him at the time.

The bullets slammed into the wall, forming small cracks in it. Gary frowned.

_ ‘Huh, ok. They’re upset. And decently strong.' _

“H.U.E! Send me some SAMES!” He called out, even as he ducked underneath a punch from Nightfall, leaping over her sweeping kick and spinning out of the way of another lightning blast from Shock. Her black ponytail standing on end as she summoned blast after blast of lightning. A very familiar black ponytail. 

_ 'God damn it, Shannon, you were almost the perfect PA.' _

The corpse girl raised her hands and coated the giant's bullets in a spectral fire. They tore up chunks of his marble floor as he ran. Feeling several pieces of rubble scrape against the back of his legs.

“Really guys? No talking today? No witty banter? Them's the rules of the game you know.” He called out from behind a pillar, flinching back as Nightfall appeared in front of him. 

Nightfall's response was to shoot a tiny smoke pellet at him from across the room. He looked over to see Awe’s shifting shape as the grabbed Dark Claw and Little Claw, dragging them towards the hole in the wall.

“Hey, hands off!” He sent a blast of unfocused light towards the shapeshifter, who seemingly ignored him as they continued dragging their comrades. Shock leaped to their aid, summoning a curtain of lightning that caught the blast and flooded the room with more smoke.

He summoned another wall to fan out the smoke when a right hook caught him square in the jaw, cracking his teeth shut and barely missing his tongue.

He growled as he flashed his powers, sending out a flash of light that blew the smoke out and knocked Nightfall back.

“Listen assholes I haven’t even done anything yet today!” He flooded the room with more light, wrapping it around all of them and squeezing them tightly. He dragged them to the center of the room, taking pleasure as he saw fear cross Shock’s face.

**“Liar! You kidnapped our friend!** ” The purple lady shouted as she glowed again, her power slicing through his just as easily as Dark Claw's did, but she swayed with the effort.

She was young. 

Gary growled as he tightened his fist, light swirling around her once more. And once more, she growled as her powers flared up and released her from his grip.

“Ashy stop! You can’t use your powers this much!” The mountain yelled at her, begging her to stop. The girl was showing obvious signs of strain now, hair slowly losing its color and luster. Sweat pouring down her face even as she screamed her defiance. One of her firebolts tearing past his light and crashing into the ground by his feet. This drained her further, as she sagged in the air. 

The dark part of Gary’s mind howled in victory, rearing its teeth ready to tear out her throat. He let out a dark chuckle, raising his voice into a mock falsetto tone.

“Yeah Ashy! You’re gonna burn yourself out little light!” He closed his fist even tighter, the light pressing against her fire even as she flung her arms out in a desperate attempt to hold against him. She was afraid, no. She was terrified.

He closed his fist, smothering out her fire with his light entirely. She was completely covered in the light, an almost angelic halo surrounding her.

He cackled, letting pain flood the tendrils until she was unconscious and slumping into his hold.

“Ashy!” 

“Ashy!” He mocked again, covering the giants head with several layers of light, blocking sound and airflow. 

“Don’t you know it's not nice to shout indoors?” The giant struggled for breath, scratching his hands fruitlessly against the light. His struggles continued for a minute, before slowing and cutting off.

Gary didn’t release his hold. He’d faked being unconscious multiple times too. The team of captured heroes all screamed at him as the giant's struggles renewed.

“Let him go!” Nightfall finally spoke, breaking her silence from earlier. He sneered as he wrapped another layer around the giant out of spite.

_ 'These are the rules of the game, you guys lost!' _

“He’s just a kid!” He paused as he heard Awe, the giant didn’t look like a child, but powers and government sciences can make people less than human. Why not make one age and grow differently?

_ 'The rules they broke the rules they played by the rules they lost and there has to be a punishment, or what's the point of playing? What's the point of winning or losing if there's no price?' _

“Please stop!” Little Cato screamed at him, struggling harder than ever against his bindings. He froze, and looked over at the small hero, stalking towards him and towering above him. 

The dark part of his mind looked down at the hero’s tearstained face and cackled in triumph.

Another looked at the terrified child and screamed in empathy, a wordless noise that made part of his chest ache.

_ 'New rules, different but the same. C'mon kiddo, impress me.' _

“Why should I?” He rearranged the bindings, lifting Little Cato into the air with his head free. The rest was covered in light.

“W-What?” The teen looked more afraid than ever, staring at him with naked fear covering his face. Daybreak let a terrifying sneer form on their face.

“Give me a reason to not kill your friends. Argue for their lives. You only got one chance kiddo!  **Better make it count.”** He loosened the ties around the mountain's head anyways. If they were telling the truth about him being young…

_ 'We'll follow this rule. Follow the rules play the game, this is your shot kid, save your friend.' _

Gary Daybreak Goodspeed was many things. A national terrorist, an evil genius, a supervillain. But he was not a child killer.

_ 'You cling to that title like it washes the other crimes away.' _

“Tick tock kid! Time is money and you guys are broke!” He let out a terrifying cackle, and almost missed Little Cato’s words.

“Take me instead.”

* * *

Little Cato’s head spun from adrenaline and fear  (and a possible untreated concussion) . He had known going after Daybreak would be terrifying, but he never expected it to be like this. Dark Claw was still unconscious, slumped against the ground. Shock and Awe were still struggling, but Awe was more suited to infiltration missions, and Shock was already looking worn down from the fight earlier. Nightfall didn’t fight against her bindings, instead, her head was swiveling around the room, searching for some type of advantage they could take.

Ash still lied on the ground, unmoving but still breathing. Fox was frantically pulling at his ties now, body slamming in fear as it starved for oxygen.

And he was supposed to save them all.

Convince one of the most unpredictable and dangerous monsters in the world to spare the people that had come to kill him. 

_ 'They were here to rescue me, not kill him. But does he even care?' _

His mind worked overtime as he thought of everything he knew about Daybreak. Every fight he watched, banter he had memorized alongside attack patterns. Everything from earlier, every word, every movement, anything that could potentially be helpful.

_ “Kid. Kid! Hey! Breath okay? Focus on my voice, and breathe with me. In one-two-three-four. Out one-two-three-four. In one-two-three-four. Out one-two-three-four.” _

_ ‘He let me use his cape as a pillow?’ _

_ “Sorry, guess you’re not up for jokes yet. That’s great though!” Daybreak clapped him on the shoulders and spun away, walking to the other side of the room. “That way, you’ll know what I’m about to say isn’t a joke!” He planted both hands on the table, leaning over with a toothy grin. _

_ “Come work for me!” _

_ “Sorry kiddo, we can talk shop later. I gotta go deal with Dark Claw.” He turned away, typing furiously at a communicator in his hand. He waved cheerfully over his shoulder. _

_ “Kevin will be here in a moment, he’ll show you to your room, see ya later!” _

_ “Awww! Look at how cute this is! H.U.E! Take all the pictures the memory banks can hold, this is the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen!” _

_ ‘Was Daybreak lonely?’ _

“Tick tock kid! Time is money and you guys are broke!” Daybreak threw his head back in laughter as light flickered around him. Even with the domino mask on, it couldn’t hide the joyful cruelty in his eyes.

“Take me instead.”

Everything seemed to go silent, the siren’s finally fading away as everyone (conscious and not suffocating) stared at him. He barely registered his own words, it didn't matter anyway. 

_ 'If this is what it takes, fuck shock value alone might be enough.' _

“Wanna run that by me again kid? Because it sounded like you just said-”

Little Cato’s eyes blazed as he stared up at the villain. Defiance filling his chest alongside a bitter feeling of defeat. 

“Let the others go, and I’ll stay here and be your apprentice.” Fox let out a wrenching cough as the bindings slid away from his head, the young teen choking on the air flowing into his spasming lungs. The bindings forced all the others closer to the hole in the wall, surprisingly, even Dark Claw was carried in their grasp.

“No take backsies kid. You’re playing by the major league rules now, are you sure you’re ok with that?” Daybreak's face was carefully calm, a stone visage that revealed nothing. 

He nodded and ignored the taste of ash in his mouth. The light slid away from him, dropping him to the ground on unsteady feet.

“Alrighty dunderheads! You saved Dark Claw, yay! Now get out!” Daybreak clapped his hands twice as they were floated out of the hole one by one, SAMES mostly escorting them outside the further walls. 

Only Shock and Nightfall remained, still held by their bindings. 

“Ga-” Nightfall was flung violently, something metallic snapping off her body armor. Little Cato flinched at her shout, as Gary let out a vicious grin. 

“Don’t ever call me that again. Next time I won’t be as forgiving.” Daybreak turned then, and looked at Shock. 

“Shannon, you’re fired. It’s not the company, it's you.” Shock let out a little squeal of fear as she was moved out of the hole, beams of light stitching the wall shut after she was out.

Daybreak spun on his heel, and beamed down at Little Cato.

“Welcome to your new home kiddo!”


	2. Chapter 2

_“Baby, shush now baby boy, wipe those tears away for mommy won’t you?” A soft voice cooed as warm arms enfolded him, shaking hands wiping at his tearstained face._

_“B-But, but you’re dy-” He couldn’t even finish the word before another wave of tears overwhelmed him, stealing his breath in an agonizing wail. A coppery smell filled the air as her hands settled on his cheeks, he could feel the tackiness of blood almost glue their skin together._

_“I know baby, I know. But you gotta be strong, can you do that? Be strong for mommy?”_

* * *

“Wowie! Did you know you cry in your sleep? It’s super sad! Now c’mon Tiny Cato! It’s time for morning training!” A cheerful electronic voice screeched at his ears as metal arms ripped away his blanket. Little Cato muffled a small groan of frustration into the pillow, claws flexing with the desire to tear out Kevin’s voice modulator.

“Crybaby kitty cat… It’s time to get up, up up up! So you can get knocked down down down!” Kevin’s steel body leaned over him, face forming a strange menagerie of expressions before settling on one. Sticking out an equally metal tongue and blowing a raspberry at the groggy teen.

Little Cato groaned, unmuffled this time as he stood, stretching with a yawn as he walked to the stand covered in his training gear. It was all an eye-searing shade of teal leather that helped cushion blows and ‘encourage him to try harder!’

* * *

_“C’mon kiddo! Think of it as motivation! If you manage to land a hit on me, I’ll let you have different armor!” Daybreak was wearing their normal mask on top of a green face mask and a fluffy robe, looking more like he had just gotten ready for a spa day and not combat training._

_“But why is it so early?” He glanced out a window as they walked to the corridor, wincing at the night sky. He had slept maybe two hours before the energetic villain burst into his room, flinging the door open and literally dragging him out of bed._

_“You’re a villain now! Never know when heroes, vigilantes, or do-gooders might bust down your door and try to take you down, so ya gotta be ready at any moment!” Daybreak chopped at the air doing a poor imitation of someone learning karate._

_Little Cato winced at the reminder of his new 'moral path'._

_‘I’m not a villain ma, I don’t care what this maniac teaches me. I promise I'll never forget how you raised me.’_

* * *

He shook his head, ignoring the taste of copper on his tongue. He began pulling on the armor and walking out of his room, Kevin’s heavy footsteps following him down the hall.

“So what were you dreaming about Smallish Cato?” Little Cato mustered up the energy to shoot a glare at the obnoxious robot. 

“None of your business.” Kevin’s ‘eyes’ flashed in interest, and he quickened his steps until he was in front of the young teen. He placed both hands on his shoulders, and Little Cato stomped down the urge to maul him.

“Baby Cato I am shocked! It’s my job to make sure you’re adjusting to your new life! And if that means I have interrogated you about your dreams to ensure your mental health is stable then so be it!” He shook him rapidly, sending his head rocking back and forth on his shoulders. 

“Tell me what you were dreaming about!”

“Screw off Kevin!” Little Cato brought his arms up, breaking the robot’s hold on him. He launched into a sprint down the hallway, hearing the screeching of wheels that told him Kevin was in ‘Pursuit’ mode.

Little Cato turned down the hallway and leaped into the air, grabbing the pipes that ran down the hall overhead and pulling himself up as Kevin rolled down the hall.

“Miniscule Cato come back and talk to me!” 

Little Cato very carefully dropped from his hiding place, quietly sprinting to the training hall. Daybreak wouldn’t allow for distractions during training, surely that included Kevin’s… everything.

“Cato!” Kevin called from the end of the hall, having caught on to the hero’s trick. The robot began rocketing towards him.

Little Cato yelped as he jumped through the door into the training room, slamming the door shut behind him and pressing his weight against it. He felt a heat fill his cheeks as a slow clapping filled the training room.

“Well done, if I knew I only needed Kevin to chase you to make you move that fast, I would have done it long ago!” Daybreak was leaning against one of the training dummies, his mask twisted in an amused grin.

_‘We’ve only known each other for a week!'_

Little Cato felt his lips rise in an answering smile, sugar-sweet even as his words dripped poison.

“If Kevin joins our training sessions I will dismantle him.”

* * *

Gary let out a startled laugh at the aggression in Little Cato’s eyes. Crossing the room to place his living hand on the teen’s head and ruffling his mohawk. He quickly danced away from the claws swiping at him, chuckling at the darkening expression on his apprentice's face.

“C’mon kiddo, I invented Kevin, that kinda makes him your older brother!” He let his lip wobble dramatically. “Won’t you try to get along with him? For me?” 

Little Cato shot him a venomous glare as he walked passed, adjusting his training gloves. 

“What are we working on today?”

Gary let his arms flail in distress, pressing them against his chest and forehead pretending to feel faint.

“Heartbreak and woe kiddo, you’re so cruel! And we haven’t even started your emotional conditioning yet!”

_'Because we will have too. Every great villain knows how to control their emotions. How to use them, and I'm going to make you the greatest.'_

He spun on his toes, at the end of the rotation changing his face to a blank expression. He wanted to mirror Little Cato's frown, but held himself back.

_‘Kitty has claws today, meow!’_

“Agility and dodging, I chase you, you run. You lose when I hit you.” He smothered a grin as Little Cato swallowed down his fear. 

“Who says you're gonna get a hit?” His apprentice shifted his stance, ears perked straight up and alert. He had been here for less than a week, and already he was getting used to surprise attacks.

_‘Cute.’_

“Oh kiddo, you already lost!” He raised his hand, lights popping into existence around the room, tiny floating orbs that looked almost like stars. They quickly began spinning around the villain, several growing into beams that flew at him.

Little Claw was fast, however, and launched between two spiraling lights. The beams fell away as he cleared the gap, hands flexing as blood and adrenaline began pumping. 

Gary flicked his hand in a diagonal slash, making the light rain down from the ceiling. 

_‘Like stars falling from the heavens…. Shut up brain no time for poetry!’_

Little Claw took a deep breath, and did something unexpected. Instead of fleeing from the light shower, he stayed in the center of the storm. Dancing on the tips of his toes and flowing around the falling sparks. He swayed his body back and forth, barely dodging, but never getting hit. 

_'He's agile. Great! Maybe I can make him fight Dark Claw, get him to learn a few tips and tricks!'_ Gary's mind momentarily wondered at the thought of the three of them training together. Dark Claw lightly ruffling Little Cato's hair after the kid pulled off some impressive move he was struggling with. Gary could walk over and wrap his arms around the both of them... He shook himself out of his thoughts, no use walking down that trail. 

Gary smirked as the light stuck to the ground where it landed. The kid was good at surprising him, but he hadn’t become the most feared villain on the west coast for nothing. He was adaptable, malleable. He wasn’t going to let the kid’s ego get too big, unless he was planning on taking it down.

The rain finally petered out, Little Cato huffing as he slid his leg back into a ready stance. 

“Great job kiddo! Really!” Little Cato beamed at the small amount of praise, it was almost enough to make Gary regret what he was about to do. 

Almost.

With a flick of his hand, the light came shooting out from the ground from the puddles it left on the floor, casting Little Cato in an ethereal glow for half a second, before it spiraled around him. It encased his body from head to toe (much like the fight earlier that week).

“Never ever let your guard down.” Gary tuttted as he wagged a mechanical finger back and forth. “Did I say we were done?” 

Little Cato didn’t respond. That was probably due to him being completely immobilized. 

Gary let an evil smirk fall over his face.

“What's the matter kiddo?” Little Cato, frozen as he was, managed to narrow his eyes slightly.

“Cat got your tongue?”

A quiet screaming noise escaped the cocoon as Gary cackled. 

* * *

Little Cato let out a groan as he walked into his shower unit. Daybreak hadn’t let up for a moment in their training today. He had lost count of all the times he had thought he was winning for half a second, before the villain would get a stupid smile on his face and the light would grab him and shock him again. His muscles were screaming, begging for a warm shower and a three-day-long coma. Looking at the clock on the wall, he saw it had only been three hours. Three grueling hours of torture!

Thankfully, Daybreak loved luxurious items, and that included the shower. The entire thing was ridiculously big. Fox, Ash, he could all fit in there, and not touch. The walls had sprayers inside them, filling the room with steam and mist all at the touch of a panel on the wall. He chuckled as he remembered when Daybreak showed him this room during the tour.

* * *

_Daybreak threw open the doors with enthusiasm that hadn’t faded, even though he had done it to literally every doorway from the throne room to here._

_“And this kiddo, is the piece de la resistance!” His arms were spread wide as he spun, acting like a salesman showing off the masterpiece at an auction._

_Before him was a marble room, the walls, ceiling, and floor were all beautiful marble. There was nothing else in the room. The lights all came from hidden saucers on the ceiling._

_“Uhh, ok I’ll bite. What is it?” Little Cato’s ears flickered in unease. Was this the murder disposal room? It was, oh god this was where he died. Daybreak just brought him here because it would be an easy clean up an-_

_“It's the shower room!” Daybreak skipped over to a panel on the far wall, and pressed down on it until it slid to the side. It revealed an electronic panel. Little Cato approached, an incredulous look on his face._

_Daybreak hit several of the options, lightning-fast. Sprayers appeared on the wall._

_‘Oh don’t-’_

_Before he could even finish the thought, water jettisoned from the walls, soaking him to the bone as Daybreak cackled._

_“Why. Why would you do this.” Little Cato’s fur was stuck to his body, water dripping from his nose. He gave the villain a look that could curdle dairy._

_“Because!” Daybreak broke into giggles again. “Because it's hilarious!”_

_“You’re wet too asshole!”_

_Daybreak hit several more options, and the sprayers stopped their watery assault. Only to spray foam over Cato while Daybreak coated his body in light with the flick of his hand._

_“See ya bright and early tomorrow kiddo!” Daybreak slid through the open door with another cackle as Cato wiped at his eyes._

_‘Crazy jerk’_

* * *

He had to spend the next ten minutes learning all the combinations for the shower, which buttons to press for water, soap, and a blow-drying option that he decided was the best thing in the world.

He quickly stripped out of his armor, letting out a gag at the smell. He had always taken practice seriously with Ash and Fox, but training with Daybreak was on an entirely different level. His muscles felt like jelly, but that had to mean they were going to grow like wild.

He slapped his hand against the panel, letting out a sigh as he felt the water spray against his body. Rinsing away sweat, and all the tension from the lack of sleep and murderous training. Another press of the buttons had a watermelon scented foam covering him from head to toe, he lathered up and then hit the buttons for the rinse cycle.

_‘Is this what cars feel like?’_

He pressed his hands together, gathering the soapy foam until it made a shimmering sheen on his fingers. He shaped them into a loop and blew, frowning as the first attempt shattered before he could get it to form. He tried again, and laughed as this time the bubble formed, growing larger with his air until its weight carried it to the earth. 

He finished rinsing off, before hitting the panel again for the dry cycle. The water switched off, before hot air began blowing through.

He brushed his fur with his claws, doing his best to keep it from poofing out.

(It was in vain. He looked like an adorable orange cloud.)

Leaving the bathroom behind him, he whistled softly as he picked out pajamas from the closet, intent on returning to sleep as soon as they were on. 

_‘Who cares if its noon? I need sleep.’_ He was pulling up his pants when a raised voice caught his attention. 

“I can’t risk it H.U.E” 

He finished pulling on his shirt, edging towards the door and pressing his ear against it.

“I UNDERSTAND YOUR TREPIDATION, BUT I BELIEVE-”

“No H.U.E! They had their chances years ago! If they want to play nice now it's just to take the kid back!” Daybreak sounded, mad. This wasn’t the electric joy of the playful man who trained him, or the icy cold of the villain who kidnapped him, it was fiery rage, consuming the man's voice. 

_“Ga-” Nightfall was flung violently, something metallic snapping off her body armor. Little Cato flinched at her shout, as Gary let out a vicious grin._

_“Don’t ever call me that again. Next time I won’t be as forgiving.”_

“WOULD THAT BE THE WORST THING?”

Little Cato shuddered, the silence stretched out, before it was broken by a strained cackle from Daybreak. There was the noise of a fist slamming the wall, making him jump away from the door.

“You know where he came from H.U.E. The worst thing about that day was I didn’t grab the other two.”

“GARY I-” There was a sound of tearing metal as light flooded the hallway.

“DON’T SAY THAT NAME H.U.E!” Little Cato fled to his bed, throwing himself under the covers, every instinct in him screaming to _RunRunFleeEscapeHideShelterHide_

He spent the rest of the late morning shaking beneath the covers. 

* * *

Avocato paced the room, mind spinning from the information the others told him. The two kids that had come to them days earlier begging for help were still resting, exhausted from the fight. From what the others told him, they had been a massive help. He shook his head, kids their age should be worried about school work and prom. Not fighting a nationally ranked villain. 

_‘Would probably be global if he had any attention span.’_

“Avocato, are you paying attention?” Quinn sat on the other end of their ‘war room’. A glorified name for Shannon’s living room, a table with so many maps on it the wood was hidden.

“Quinn-” He began, wincing she stood and approached him.

“You need to focus! We need to plan and be ready and you’re our best shot at getting this done!” Her hair was mussed from running her hands through it so many times.

 _‘You look like shit girl.’_ He was sure he looked just as wiped out as she was. Her eyes were bloodshot, dark bags underneath them. Her left arm was still in a sling, hairline fractures covering it after Daybreak had tossed her. It would be healed by the end of the day. The breaks not too terrible, and her accelerated healing factor ensured she would be up and fighting again. 

“I don’t get it Quinn. He’s never acted like what you’re talking about before! He’d never-”

“But he did Avocato! He would have killed us if that kid didn’t offer himself up like some sacrificial lamb!” She took a deep breath, looking to the side as her shoulders slumped. She looked defeated.

“Daybreak isn’t a good guy, we’ve known that for- for a long time now.” She looked back with wet eyes. “He has that kid in his fortress, doing god knows what to him. He almost killed us, Shannon can’t spy on him anymore, and something tells me that this is just the beginning of a bigger shit show! And you're not listening to my plan!” Tears were freely flowing down her face now.

Avocato walked over and pulled her against his chest, softly enough not to jostle her arm, but firm enough that her token resistances were easily ignored.

_‘Affection isn’t weakness you stubborn grump’_

“When are we going back?” Avocato jumped as Awe, better known as Tribore, sauntered into the room.

Quinn let out a wet laugh, shaking her head even as it was pressed against Avocato’s neck. “How are you so sneaky with those knock off boots? I could practically smell you being tacky from down the hall.”

Tribore came closer and patted both of them on the shoulders. “I’ll let that slide because you’re a mess right now mama, next time though I will roast you about how your eyelids are uneven.”

“This, coming from the person who wears pleather unironically.”

The three of them shared a small chuckle at the banter, for half a second, not feeling the weight of the situation on their spines. Avocato hated himself for it, hated that he had to bring down their mood, but he needed information.

“How are the others?” Avocato needed to know, he couldn’t make any plans until he knew that they were ok.

“They’re doing ok daddio, Fox and Shannon are up and raring to go. Ash will be recovered from Overloading by tonight. 

Avocato winced at the word. Overloading was something every powered hero tried to avoid. You can’t make something from nothing, and the same applies to their powers. Scientists from across the globe had been trying to figure out what allowed people to do things like fly, or shoot fire from their hands, or summon darkness. 

So far the collective agreement was that they had no idea. But everyone agreed that there was a limit, even if that limit was different for every individual.

Your power limit was like a muscle. The more you tested it, stretched it out. The healthier it became. So far no one had been able to find a ‘cap’ for the powers, as long as you used them, they would grow stronger and easier to control. But when using your powers, you had to be aware of your limit. Your stamina, how much you could use your power before you really began feeling tired. 

When that limit was reached, you Overloaded. Your powers began cannibalizing your body to provide energy. It wasn’t always a death sentence, but the threat of your body being leached away was normally enough to encourage intelligent power usage.

Shannon was old enough to know her limits, and understand how to get right up to the edge without burning out. Ash was young though, even if her powers were powerful. If anything, that just meant she needed more training to stay safe.

“The mayor is having a party tonight, something about a low crime rate. Daybreak was planning to kidnap him for something.” Shannon walked in, an Iv drip attached to her arm.

“Should you be up right now? You used your power a lot last night and-” Quin broke away from the group hug, walking over to her. She didn’t see the cord on the ground that caught her foot, sending her to the ground. 

Or it would have, had Shannon not rushed forward to grab her. Supporting her weight with her free arm and holding her close.

“Should you be up?” Shannon mocked playfully, eye locked with Quinn’s. 

Tribore and Avocato shared a knowing look, watching their friends dance around each other had been funny at first, but it had been months now. He and Tribore had both listened to the girls' moon and whine.

* * *

_“She’s amazing Avocato.” Quinn gushes as she downed another shot of cranberry vodka. It was her fifth one in as many minutes. “Her eyes are so pretty, like they're always just so… so… so pretty!” She swept her arm out, almost knocking his beer into his chest._

_“So why don’t you go for it?” He set his beer on the bar, slowly gathering up the shot glasses into a stack for the tender, who gave him a wink as thanks. He waved softly, attention mostly focused on his already plastered friend._

_A dark look came onto her face as she mumbled, snagging his beer and downing it._

_“Hey! That was mine!”_

_“I need it more than you.”_

* * *

_“I just don’t know what to do Tribore!” Shannon stuffed another scoop of chocolate ice cream into her mouth. Tribore let out a noncommittal noise as xie painted xir toenails. Yes they could just shapeshift and make them look how xie wanted, but that wouldn’t be as fun. Or offer a distraction to a mooning moron._

_“Today we were sparring and she picked me up and tossed me! She’s so strong and muscly and pretty and ahhhhh!” She leaned over and shoved her face into the couches pillows, Tribore comfortingly patting her on the back as she screamed._

_"You know I love you, but if you ruin my nails I will end you."_

_Shannon continued to scream into the couch. Tribore moved the ice cream and set the nail supplies on the coffee table. Pausing the movie that neither of them were watching, xie continued to pat Shannon on the back._

* * *

_Avocato laid three cards face down on the table, three aces. He had no twos, and winced when Tribore laid down eight cards. He laid down four three’s, smiling as Tribore looked suspicious for a moment before letting it slide._

_They continued playing B.S for several rounds before either of them said anything._

_“So Quinn-”_

_“Shannon is-”_

_They both stared for a moment, before nodding. They continued their game in silence._

_“Let’s make it interesting.” Avocato raised an eyebrow in question._

_“I love our girls, but they are the most useless lesbian’s I know.”_

_“They’re both bi, but go on.”_

_“Shut it daddio. They’ll dance around each other until the end of time, so what if we got them together.” Tribore had sat xir cards down and was looking expectantly at Avocato._

_“Look I don’t think that meddling will-” Avocato sat his cards down as well, scratching the back of his head._

_“I bet I can get Shannon to make a move before you could get Quinn too!” Tribore slapped his hands against the table, standing up and pointing at Avocato’s nose._

_He thought about the possible ramifications, and then thought of another bar crawl ending with Quinn drunkenly sobbing because he wouldn’t let her call Shannon when she was so sloshed._

_“Rules?” Part of him was screaming what a terrible idea this was. It would only end in chaos and heartache. The other, romantic part of him remembered when Quinn forced him to go talk to a shy librarian, and all the love that came from it._

_“They have to be sober, and they can’t know we’re trying to make it happen. And obviously nothing that could get them hurt, and if they catch on we back off immediately.”_

_“You’re on.”_

* * *

_‘C’mon girl, kiss her!’_ Avocato cheered in his mind as Quinn looked up at Shannon. It looked like a scene straight out of a romantic comedy, and _he was about to win! 'Bragging rights, hell yeah.'_

Tribore cleared his throat, ruining the moment and sending a smirk at Avocato. 

‘I will kill you’ He mouthed at the smirking shapeshifter. 

“Will the kids be ready? Or should we even bring them along?” The mood crashed at the reminder of the teens. They would be furious at being left behind, and they were very helpful during the fight with Daybreak. At the same time, they were young, and untrained. They could bring just as much chaos as assistance.

Avocato shook his head. “Better to take them with us, they’re strong, and I don’t wanna risk leaving them alone. ‘Sides, they’d probably just follow us anyway.”

“If ya didn’t want us to follow you, I would stay. Ashy would follow you though, and then I would need to follow her.” Fox’s grinning face entered the room, he had to duck under the doorway. 

Tribore let out a chuckle, planting xir hands on xir’s waist. “I like this kid, he’s got moxie.”

“Tonight then. We go to the mayor’s gala. Daybreak has never been one to miss an opportunity to cause some chaos, and we’ll be ready for him.” Quinn said, standing on her own feet. (But she was still plastered against Shannon’s side, to which Avocato cheered.)

* * *

Gary shook in anger, light popping threateningly around him. He knew he needed to calm down, needed to conserve his powers for later tonight. 

_“Ga-” Nightfall was flung violently, something metallic snapping off her body armor. Little Cato flinched at her shout, as Gary let out a vicious grin._

_“Don’t ever call me that again. Next time I won’t be as forgiving.”_

_“GARY I-” There was a sound of tearing metal as light flooded the hallway._

_“DON’T SAY THAT NAME H.U.E!” His powers exploded out of him, tearing gouges down the walls. The metallic floor was ripped up, shrapnel flying out as he screamed._

Gary Goodspeed was dead. Gary Goodspeed didn’t exist anymore, couldn’t exist anymore. Those were the rules, you play, you lose, you die. 

He threw out his hand with a yell of anger. A blade of light scything into the reinforced training dummies. It sliced through them, and dug into the wall behind them. He let his legs go dead, falling to the floor and holding his head in his hands. 

_‘Come on idiot. Get it together, it's just a name. Just the name of a dead guy. There’s plenty of those, fuck you have entire lists stored on H.U.E’s database. It's just a name.’_

He took a deep breath, then another. Counting the beats of his heart as he tried to calm down. 

_‘Put it away. Push it down. You’re a villain. We don’t feel sad, we don’t feel regret, we are free. That’s the rules.’_

He didn’t know how much time had passed when his communicator beeped at him, a happy little chime. A clock with a smiling face popped up, it was the alarm to get ready for the gala. 

“H.U.E. Tell the kid to get up and get dressed. We have a party to crash.” Gary smoothed back his hair, wiping at his eyes. 

_‘Villains don’t cry’_

He walked into his personal shower room, and began preparing for tonight. 

* * *

“LITTLE CATO. IT IS TIME TO AWAKEN.” A metallic voice filled his room, making his bleary eyes open. He glanced around, before letting them shut and grumbling, burrowing deeper into his covers. 

The world tumbled around as the bed launched him into the air, quick reflexes being the only thing that saved him from slapping against the wall. He managed to turn in the air, planting his limbs against the wall and shoving off, he stumbled on his feet, eyes wide with adrenaline.

“What the crap?!?” He called out, hands clenching and unclenching with the need to fight. 

“IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO GET READY. PLEASE PUT ONE OF THESE OUTFITS ON AND CHOOSE A HAIRSTYLE. ONE OF THE SAMES WILL BE IN SOON TO HELP YOU.” The voice filled the room again, an echoing silence filling the air after it left. 

A panel on the wall flipped out, revealing a tablet screen with several formal wear outfits. Little Cato walked over and scrolled through the options, settling on a deep blue tuxedo with a petticoat. The hair options popped up, and to his growing fear, no option showed his mohawk. The list began repeating, so he didn’t choose an option. 

“LITTLE CATO. YOUR CLOTHES HAVE BEEN DELIVERED. PLEASE CHOOSE A HAIRSTYLE FROM THE CATALOGUE.”

“Yeah no, I like my mohawk, and that’s what I’m sticking with.”

“THAT IS NOT AN OPTION. IF YOU DON’T CHOOSE I WILL GO WITH THE DEFAULT OPTION, IS THIS YOUR FINAL CHOICE?”

“No, my choice is my mohawk!” 

“I WILL SEND DOWN THE STYLE SAME NOW.”

Little Cato scoffed and began pulling off his pajamas and putting on the suit. To his surprise, it fit him perfectly, and felt a bit heavy. He looked at the mirror on the wall, posing for several moments and pouting his lips like the boy bands Ash loved to watch.

It made him chuckle, before the thought of Ash settled on his mind. He missed his friends.

The door behind him opened with a whoosh of air, three SAMES entering and standing before him. One of them had a comb for a hand, the other was a tub of smoking smelling gel. He narrowed his eyes and shifted into a fighting stance.

Two of the SAMES (the ones with normal arms) rushed him and grabbed his arms, forcing him to his knees and holding his head still.

The other SAME approached slowly, raising the comb and gel.

“No, no stop! Get away from me! NOOOOOOO!” Despite Little Cato’s cries, the SAME continued its work, applying gel and swiping at it with the comb, until it was slowly flattened down in a swept-back look. 

“Hey kiddo, heard the screams, love the drama, ya ready yet?” Daybreak entered the room, eyes downturned and focused on his communicator. His outfit was the same as his, a matching suit and petticoat in vibrant red. His hair was like ways slicked back, but Little Cato was staring at his eyes.

Daybreak wasn’t wearing his mask. (He was wearing eyeliner, but that wasn’t as important as a notorious villain showing his face!)

“Daybreak?” 

“That’s my name kiddo, let's go!” If Daybreak was going to ignore the lack of a mask, so was Little Cato. Even if the man looked... human. Daybreak finally looked up, grabbing Little Cato by the hand and pulling him down the hall to the front entrance. The windows outside showed that it was sunset. 

_‘Where did the day go? Oh yeah, we slept it away after Daybreak-’_

He tensed up as he thought about what happened earlier, he had no idea if Daybreak had noticed him eavesdropping, and he hoped not to find out.

“Where are we going?” He managed to keep his voice level, no shaking at all! Or at least, not enough for Daybreak to notice. 

“We are going to crash a party little man!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, just some CW/TW real quick  
> Blood, gore, minor character death, homophobia/transphobia, child abuse. It's not a big part, but I want y'all to have a heads up at least. If you wanna avoid that, it starts at the line “You!” One voice stood out from the crowd, as a small green-skinned man marched towards him. " I'll have a quick description of what happens in the endnotes for you guys.

Daybreak was furiously mashing buttons on his communicator, eyes squinted and tongue poking out of his lips as he focused on the small game before him. 

Little Cato was mesmerized. This was the man that thought up the most torturous practice he could. This was the man that threatened to kill him, that kidnapped him, that almost killed his friends. This was the man that had brought the west coast to its knees, and he was presenting deadly focus over a mobile game.

“Daybreak?” 

“Yeah, kiddo? What’s up?” Daybreak stayed focused on the game, eyes not even looking up. Little Cato had so many questions to ask. _‘What was the plan tonight, what are we doing, where’s your mask, what’s with the eyeliner.’_

“Why are you wearing eyeliner?” He wanted to punch himself in the face, of all the important questions he needed to ask, he asks about the guys’ makeup?

Daybreak let out a growl that had him mentally scrambling to apologize before he realized he had just lost in his game.

“Fucking, hacker! Damn it.” Daybreak looked down, lip wobbling for several seconds. He was honest to god's pouting. Pouting over a mobile game.

_ ‘How is this my life?’ _

Daybreak clicked a button on his communicator, shutting it down and turning to face Little Cato.

“We’re going to a party, with a bunch of rich fancy assholes. The rich fancy assholes, who are rich fancy assholes, believe that masculine people can’t wear makeup. I, however, look amazing in eyeliner.” He laced his fingers together underneath his chin and leaning across the limo, blinking his eyes rapidly.  “So even if at the end of the night I’m wearing a mask, I get the joy of knowing that those assholes were uncomfortable.”

“Oh.” Little Cato stared at his knees for a moment, before asking a question he hoped he wouldn’t regret.

“Could I wear some?” 

_ ‘Stupid stupid stupid why would you ask that?’ _

Daybreak let out a silent 'Oh' of surprise, before a smile lit up his face. 

“Of course kiddo! I’ll put it on for you!” Daybreak rummaged around in a bag that was sitting on one of the limous seats. He pulled out a small black tube. He pulled the pen out of it and leaned in close. Placing one hand on Little Cat's chin to keep him still.

“Just close your eyes, and hold still…” Little Cato held his breath, while part of his mind was screaming. He didn't flinch away as something slightly cold and wet pressed against his eyelids.

_ ‘He could kill us, he could just stab us with the makeup pen, poke out our eye! He could snap our neck! Why are we trusting him?’ _

_ ‘Because he hasn’t hurt us’ _ Through every interaction they’ve had, Daybreak hasn’t ever hurt him. He’s threatened him, scared him, made him so terrified and certain he was gonna die, but he’s never actually hurt him. 

_ 'Daybreak is lonely, he won't hurt me.' _

“And there, all done!” Daybreak pulled away, rummaging in the bag for a second time to pull out a small handheld mirror. 

Little Cato took the mirror and looked at his reflection. His eyes didn’t look that different, they just had black lines on the top lid. It made his eyes pop, but overall it wasn’t a massive change.

So why did he feel like crying?

“Kiddo?” Daybreak was leaning over him again, hands gently holding his shoulders as he looked down with concern shining in his eyes. “Are you- oomph!”

* * *

Little Cato sprang forward and wrapped his arms around him. Gary’s metal hand shot to the back of his neck, ready to  _ snap _ the life of his attacker, but froze just before contact.

_ ‘It’s a hug. He’s not attacking. It's the kid and he’s just hugging us.’ _

He slowly wrapped his arms around the kid, reveling in the warm feeling that was filling his core. He hadn’t felt this warm, this safe in...

~~_ ‘You’ll make me proud. _ ~~

In a very long time. 

“Daybreak?” Little Cato moved his head from where it was pressed against Gary’s chest, letting out a suspiciously loud sniff.

_ ‘Oh jeez, kiddo please don’t cry.’ _

“What’s happening tonight?” Gary’s exhausted mind took several seconds to remember that Little Cato didn’t know the plan. He didn’t even know the half plan Gary planned on telling him. 

_ ‘The plan to tell the little man the half plan didn’t pan out.’ _

He let out a chuckle, a slightly deranged one by the look on Little Cato’s face. He patted the kid on the shoulders and shuffled back into his side of the limo. 

“I told ya, we’re gonna crash the mayor’s party. Cause some chaos, spread some fear, kidnap the mayor, murder a monster. The usual.”

“What?” Little Cato didn’t have skin visible through his orange fur, but part of Gary suspected that if any skin was visible, it would have turned sallow and grey. 

“Which part did I lose you on? Chaos? Fear?” He let a taunting smirk cover his lips. 

“The murder part Daybreak!” Little Cato’s hands were clenching and unclenching, one of the most obvious tells that the kid was afraid or nervous. 

_ ‘Gotta break him of that habit. Then again, lets me read him super easy. But if I can read him, so can others. Ugh god raising a protege is harder than I thought.’ _

“Yeah, so it turns out you actually know the guy! Cool right? Small world and all that!” Gary’s words were meant to assure Little Cato’s anxiety. It didn’t work.

“WHO?” Little Cato’s shriek had Gary wincing and holding his head, the headache that had been dancing around the edges of his perception was now slamming against him. A slow, steady build of pressure that thudded against the back of his eyes with every heartbeat.

“Volume kiddo, jeez. I was already gonna kill this guy. He’s a monster. Like, the sell drugs and people and then act like a good guy by running a group home for troubled youths kind of monster.” Gary saw Little Cato’s eyes darken at the explanation, and light up when he connected the dots.

“Clarence? My foster parent is a mob boss?” Gary pressed down on the bridge of his nose, trying to lighten the pain behind his eyes.

“Kid, volume, you’re killing me. And I wouldn’t say mob boss, more scum lord.”

“But-!”

“No buts! We’re almost there! Make sure your mask is in your pants. You’ll know the signal when it happens. Plant the bombs that are in the sleeves of your shirt on the around the room.” He continued, ignoring yet another shriek of “What!” echoing in the limo. “They're harmless, it's just supposed to keep the guards distracted with panicking rich people so they can’t interfere.” 

“Daybreak I-”

“You’re a villain now.” Gary’s voice sunk in tone, no longer playful or kind. It was a voice he had used before on mob bosses before he sunk a beam of light between their eyes. Maybe a bit over-kill for the teen, but…

_ 'He needs to listen to me.' _

“You need to get used to that. The government will try and kill you now. Your old friends will try to capture you! And guess what? They’ll turn you into the government! Who will kill you.” Gary froze, realizing how loud he had gotten, how angry. He was looming over Little Cato, fear filling the young man’s face. He cleared his throat, reining in his rage. 

_ 'God I need to sleep after this.' _

“Just, you’re on my team now kiddo.” He gently pushed a closed fist against the teen’s shoulder, giving him a soft smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe. Teammates look out for each other!”

_ ‘They should, that’s the point of having a team.’ _

* * *

Avocato ran a hand down his masked face, holding back a scream with every fiber of his will power. Pinching his eyes shut and taking a deep breath.

_ ‘If one more rich jerk puts a hand on me and talks about the “advantages” of having them know my identity, I will let Daybreak do whatever he wants here.’ _

He leaned against a marble pillar, letting out a sigh as the cold seeped through his suit. The ballroom was stifling, filled with beautiful lights and decorations, beautiful foods and drinks, and beautiful people dancing to beautiful music.

Avocato wanted to scream.

_ ‘Rich jerks.’ _

The only reason he hadn't washed his hands and walked away was the look's that Quinn and Shannon shot him from across the room every now and again. They didn't have to open their mouths to tell him, facial expressions more than enough to communicate.

_ 'Play nice with these dicks, they're rude but we get paid to keep them safe' _

“You look like you could use a drink.” Came a suave voice from his right. He was half a second from giving the man a polite rebuttal that Shannon had forced him to learn-  _ “Because Avocato! You have to be seen in public and you can’t be screaming at every annoying person you find! It looks bad for the team!”-  _ When he opened his eyes, he was lost for words.

The man standing before him was in an over the top red petticoat, the garish color striking against the man’s fair skin. Blond hair was slicked back, a normally arrogant look that just looked confident on him. His eyes were green gems, shimmering in the warm light of the ballroom. He was smiling at Avocato, hand holding out a glass of wine.

_ ‘God damn’ _

The man  ~~_ (‘hot hot hot’)  _ ~~ handed him the glass, a small smile on his lips that make Avocato’s stomach do backflips.

_ ‘C’mon stupid, get your brain together!’ _

“You come here often?”

_ ‘I will kill you brain, you worthless bi disaster.’  _ (Across the room, Shannon and Quinn both sneezed at the same time. They shrugged and continued dancing, eyes locked on each other as they waltzed around the room. They could work and keep an eye out for suspicious activity at the same time.)

The man let out a charming laugh, eyes crinkling in delight. He took a small sip of his glass before responding.

“It’s actually my first time at one of these… parties.” Avocato was listening, he was just also very interested in the man’s throat as he swallowed the wine.

“I was hoping for some company… I figured a big strong hero like you could ‘rescue’ me from being lonely.” The man walked two of his fingers up Avocato’s arm. Gently pulling at the hair in the wrong direction. It had no business feeling as good as it did.

Avocato took a deep drink of his wine, having no fear of it being drugged or poisoned. Bonus to being a genetic hybrid. Fancy, hard to poison genes. 

“I would enjoy the company, especially from someone as lovely as you Mr…?” His free hand reached down to grab the man’s, pressing a gentle kiss against his gloved fingers.

* * *

Gary was cackling in his mind. Dark Claw was drinking this up! He had sent the kid to walk the outskirts of the hall, placing the smoke bombs in discrete corners. When he saw the hero looking, grumpy and alone.

It was too perfect of an opportunity to miss out on. Especially when the hero had practically swallowed his tongue at the sight of him!

“I was hoping for some company…” Gary dropped his voice into a sultry tone, letting his fingers dance up Dark Claw’s arm and petting the exposed fur. _' It's so soft!'_ “I figured a big, strong hero like you could ‘rescue me from being lonely.”

Gary was in hysterics in his mind, Dark Claw looked like he was about to choke on his drink! 

_ ‘Oh my god, you are so easy cat-man!’ _

“I would enjoy the company, especially from someone as lovely as you Mr…?” Gary’s hysterics cut out as Dark Claw pressed a chaste kiss against his gloved hand. Part of his brain was mourning that it was the metal one, imagining what it would feel like against his skin.

The other part was scrambling to think of a fake name, not willing to risk the chance that Quinn  ~~_ (lying, traitorous, monster)  _ ~~ had told the rest of her team his real name. Seconds seemed to slow down to hours as his heartbeat thudded in his chest. 

_ ‘Think brain! Think! About Names! ~~And not! How cute he looks!’~~ _

“Mr. Dabre, a pleasure!”  _ ‘Oh, my fucking hell brain? Dabre? Daybreak? Just- fuck you’re fired brain. After this, we’re sleeping and you are fired!’ _

* * *

“Mr. Dabre. A beautiful name for a beautiful person.” Avocato’s mind flailed in a semi-panic that could only come from social situations. 

_ ‘Last name only? Did I mess up? Fuuuuuck’ _

“Would you care to dance Mr. Dabre?” He held out his arm, hoping to still salvage the conversation. 

(It didn’t need salvaging, but what would be the fun in our characters knowing that?)

Dabre let out another charming smile, wrapping his arm around Avocato’s. Avocato jumped slightly as he felt fingers wrap around the muscles in his arm, squeezing them. When he sent a questioning look at Dabre, he got a taunting smile in response.

“I assumed you were strong, but your arms are like blocks of granite!” Avocato preened under the praise, for the first time in the night, not feeling the anxiety that normally came with parties like this.

* * *

_ ‘DUMB! GAY! BRAIN! WHY DID WE-! JUST FUCKING- SQUEEZE?!?!’ _

Gary knew, in the most clinical, detached sense, that sleep deprivation killed inhibitions faster than alcohol. That was the reason he even began talking to the hero currently leading him in a slow waltz. That was why when he currently should be looking for the mayor. When he currently should be looking for Clarence. When he should be keeping an eye on his kid. When he should be planning the downfall of Quinn and her merry band of misfits…

_ ‘He’s… a really good dancer.’ _

He was dancing with his nemesis. 

Dark Claw leads him in small circles, never faltering from the beat. Never stepping on his toes. He was held against the hero’s chest, able to feel the beating of his heart. He took a deep breath, smiling at the scent of cologne filling his nose. 

For a dance, he was able to forget about his plans, his responsibilities. He was able to dance with  ~~ the man he loved  ~~ a very attractive man, and for once, he didn’t feel the need to keep all the walls up. 

Which was why he was so surprised to hear the shouting, one voice he recognized from a phone call weeks ago. The other-

“You worthless worm!” There was the sound of a smack and a young voice crying out. A voice he knew.

_ ‘Kid!’ _

Gary sprinted towards the noise, unbeknownst to him, Dark Claw was following close behind. 

* * *

Little Cato stared in awe at the ballroom. There were people in here that would wipe their noses with more money then he would ever own. Beautiful decorations filled the room as soft music played from a live orchestra. A banquet table filled with all types of food seemed to let out a siren call to him, his stomach reminding him he never ate after the training session today.

“Alrighty kiddo, go place the smoke bombs, daddy’s gonna mingle with the rich jerks!” Daybreak patted him on the head, careful not to mess up his hair.

“Please don’t call yourself daddy.” He grinned at the excentric villain who let out a feigned scoff.

“I adopted you kiddo, that makes me a daddy!” The man turned on his heel, petty coat sweeping out behind him dramatically as he quickly disappeared in the crowd.

_ ‘God he’s so… weird.’  _ Little Cato deliberately didn’t think about the different times the man had patted him on the back after he said something smart. Or ruffled his hair to tease him. Or picked him up after a hard training session. Or-

_ ‘Not your dad. Remember he kidnapped you! He’s not supremely shitty like Clarence, which is great! But he’s also not your parent!’ _

He shook himself out of his depressing thoughts as he arrived at the banquet table. He wasn’t as hungry as he had been moments ago, but the chocolate waterfall with strawberries looked delicious…

He grabbed a fancy plate that probably cost more than all of his possessions and loaded fruit on to it. He also grabbed an empty champagne flute and held it under the fountain, filling it to the brim with liquid chocolate heaven. 

The first bite of a chocolate-covered strawberry almost brought him to his knees. Sparks flew behind his eyes as the world faded away, nothing else existing but him and the gods and goddesses of flavor.

He quickly shoveled several more bites into his mouth, letting out tiny mewls of joy at each one. When he got home the others would-!

Once again his good mood faded, snuffed away like a candle in the wind. His home was with a villain now, not his friends and shity foster parent. He wouldn’t be able to talk to Ash and Fox about how good the chocolate was, or how amazingly fresh the fruit tasted. He left the plate and cup on the table, sighing sadly to himself.

_ ‘Let’s just get this job done.’ _

He marched around the edges of the room, discretely leaving bombs in strategic areas. Places where when they detonated wouldn’t hurt anyone, but the smoke would flood the room. The suit he was wearing was a wonderful design, allowing him to flex his wrist and have a tiny disk bomb fall into his hand. He could then simply hit the arming button and place the bomb on any surface, and have it attached. 

_ ‘Daybreak is a genius too, we can’t forget that.’ _

No eyes watched him as he quickly walked place to place. He kept his head down, and didn’t bump into anyone, he was completely and entirely-

“Cato?”

Noticed.

He felt every muscle in his body freeze as he heard the voice. Slowly he turned around and felt the air leave his body in a rush.

Ash was there. Pink hair in an updo that let strands fall down and cover her lack of an eye. She was wearing a violet ball gown, the base of it was poofed out and it had so many ruffles she looked like she wouldn’t fit through a doorway, let alone around the dancefloor.

She was also hugging him so tightly he thought she might be choking him to death.

He felt tears come to his eyes as his best friend held him. He wrapped his arms around her.

“Hey Ashy.” He choked down a sob of joy at seeing her alive and unharmed.

* * *

_ “You’re gonna burn yourself out little light!” Daybreak closed his fist even tighter, the light pressing against her fire even as she flung her arms out in a desperate attempt to hold against him. She was afraid, no. She was terrified. Little Cato screamed against his restraints, wanting to reach her, do anything to help before- _

_ Daybreak closed his fist, smothering out her fire with his light entirely. She was completely covered in the light, an almost angelic halo surrounding her. He cackled, as her body thrashed in agony, until she was unconscious and slumping into his hold. _

* * *

“We were so worried about you!” She pulled away, hands fluttering over him as if to check for any damage he might have sustained.

“I was worried about you guys! Where’s Fox? Are you both ok? What happened after you guys were thrown out!” Little Cato gripped her dress, pulling her close and doing his best to not scream his questions at her. 

“We weren’t the ones who got kidnapped! Fox is here we’re both fine! The heroes we got to help us are letting us stay with them while we looked for you! We’re here because-”

She slowly tapered off, looking him over again.

“Cato.. what have you been doing?” He felt ice slide down his back as her voice shifted from Loving excited Ash, to something colder and more suspicious.

“I’ve been-!” He choked off his words, what has he been doing? He’s been living with a villain for the past week. Been training under him, has he ever tried to escape?

….Did he even want to?

“Ashy I think- The thing is, I was just-” He scrambled for words, feeling more panic rise in him as Ash took a step back.

“Cato.” Ash took a deep breath, and another as he felt panic bubble up his chest. The panic leveled out as she smiled at him again. “It doesn’t matter. You’re safe now, you can come home with us!”

Before he could react, she reached up and tugged at an earing. 

“Fox, come over here!”

_“What’s up?”_ Little Cato could hear his other best friend before he could see him. His feline ears were able to pick out the booming voice through the tiny headpiece Ash was wearing.

“I found him, get over here!”

Little Cato’s mind raced. Fox and Ash were here! They were both about to be right next to him. They could go home together. They could-

_ “You’re a villain now.” _

_ “Your old friends will try to capture you!” _

_ “You’re on my team now kiddo.” He gently pushed a closed fist against the teen’s shoulder, giving him a soft smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe. Teammates look out for each other!” _

He would be leaving his new teammate alone. 

“Ashy? How are you guys even at this party?”

“What? Oh, apparently dad does business with the mayor and got invited. He let us tag along.” She kept talking, but it was all white noise to his ringing ears.

_ “He’s a monster. Like, the sell drugs and people and then act like a good guy by running a group home for troubled youths kind of monsters.”  _

_ “I wouldn't say mob boss, more scum lord.” _

_ “Dad does business with the mayor.” _

Little Cato let out a slightly hysterical chuckle, cutting off Ash. 

_ ‘I’m working with a villain, and they’re the bad guys!’ _

Ash reached towards him, and he could see Fox behind her. The sight of his best friends should have brought him comfort, should have made him feel safe. He only felt pure panic rise in his chest. 

_ “He’s a monster.” _

He turned his heel and ran, blinking back tears as he darted through the crowd. Clarence was a bad guy. The mayor worked with Clarence. The mayor was a bad guy.

What did that make Daybreak?

He pushed his way through the crowded ballroom, dancing around other people without touching them. One lady suddenly dipped down in front of him, making him scramble. He slid on his knees underneath her head, choking on the smell of perfume wafting off of her. 

He wasn’t paying attention as he ran, and smacked into the chest of a large bug-like man with several hands. 

“Are you ok there?” He asked in a booming voice, making several dancers turn and look at him.

“I’m- I just-” He stuttered, tripping over his words as more people gathered around to stare at him.

_ “Who is that?” _

_ “How adorable-” _

_ “So young-” _

_ “-Wearing makeup?” _

“You!” One voice stood out from the crowd, as a small green-skinned man marched towards him. 

“Ah Clarence, do you know this young man?” The large man asked, dragging Little Cato to his feet.

“Hands off Frashenhaur, that is my property you’re holding.” Clarence slapped at the hand’s holding him up, before reaching up and tugging on Little Cato’s hair. Pulling him down to eye level.

“Where have you been you little runaway? You and your forsaken siblings have cost me fortunes by leaving!”

_ “He’s a monster who sells people.” _

“I-I-I-”

“And what are you wearing? Is that makeup?” Clarence shook his head and tutted as the crowd dispersed. Not interested in getting involved with a ‘family matter.’

_ ‘Please please no come back.’ _

“You disappointment, obviously you haven’t learned your lesson from last time.” 

Clarence brought his hand back and Little Cato closed his eyes. He couldn’t muffle his yelp of pain as he was slapped across the face. Part of him wanted to fight back, scream and rage and tear the man apart for hurting him. The other part was crying as he clung to the lipstick that was the same shade as his mother’s was. Just wanting to have part of her close to him again. The other part was eight and screaming with tears as Clarence beat him for wearing makeup.

"You worthless worm!" Another smack had his ears ringing and face burning. The crowd had their back turned on him, not willing to intervene. He looked up and saw Ash and Fox pushing their way through, protective rage covering their faces.

He stumbled backward as something wet splashed against his face, Clarence letting him go. He opened his eyes to stare in shock at what he saw.

Beams of light had pierced through Clarence’s body and hands, holding the man in the air with his arms and legs spread. The tiny man let out a choked scream as he was lifted into the air by the beams in his flesh. 

People were screaming around him, as several more bolts of light shot through the air and pierced through Clarence’s screaming head.

“You will never hurt my son again.” Daybreak walked over, powers blazing around him as he held up a hand. He twisted his wrist, and the beams of light began to pull away from each other. He placed a hand over Little Cato’s eyes, as with a sickening rip, Clarence’s body was torn to shreds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically Little Cato run's into Clarence, who is a terrible person and hits Little Cato. (This isn't the first time) Gary hears this and kills Clarence in a very bloody way. Also, Gary calls Little Cato his son.   
> I finally wrote a story with a character dying! And it was Clarence! A more abusive/shitty Clarence! So I don't even feel sad lol.  
> Not to sound like a YouTuber, but don't forget to comment! I love reading what you guys think! And it motivates me more than is ok haha, cya guys next time!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooow surprise update in the middle of the night! Because it was my birthday yesterday, which was when I wanted to release this. But I had to socialize instead so its a day late on my nonexistent schedule. Love ya babes! Don't forget to comment! They make my day every time I get one!

Fox had never claimed to be a genius, he never had to be. With Clarence, it was always easier to just nod along and accept whatever the man said. When Little Cato came around, that changed. The boy was always questioning everything. Why they were doing something, why they needed to catch this person, why didn't he have powers like his adopted siblings? 

The questions went unanswered, but his little brother's mind was always chasing after knowledge. 

Fox didn't care about good or bad, legal or not. He had grown up with Clarence for far too long to really have any moral compass. But he knew he would always protect his family. His family consisting of a small girl with burning hands and pink hair, and a tiny boy genius covered in orange fur. They' re all the family he needed. Clarence hurt Little Cato, all throughout their childhoods. He and Ashy had several plans to get rid of the man, someone just got there first. 

He wanted to shake Daybreak’s hand for that. 

When Ash had come to their home with a little sister, Fox had been so happy! He had always wanted to be a big brother, strong and able to protect his little siblings. And Little Cato needed plenty of protection! But he was always smart enough to know how to get out of taking the blame for things. Or when he did get in trouble, it wasn't something Fox could help with.

Surely his new little sisters would need plenty of protection right?

_ "I'll keep you guys safe!" Fox smiled as he flexed his arm, already thicker around than most adults he knew, and he was only thirteen! His two new sisters looked confused at him, as Little Cato let out a scoffing laugh. _

_ "Something tells me they're gonna be protecting us, bro." Fox sent a confused look to his brother. Little Cato was smart, like scary smart. But he tended to overthink things, and surely these two tiny girls would need help and-. _

_ "You should listen to the kitty, Ashy is the strongest person in the world!" The tiniest girl walked from behind her older sister, grabbing at the orange fur coating his brother. Little Cato batted her hands away, backpedaling with a hiss. _

_ "But you guys are so small!" Fox said, walking over and lifting his brother on his shoulders and out of reach of tiny inquisitive hands. _

_ The small girl let out another laugh, reaching up and climbing up his leg, trying to reach the furry child on his shoulders. _

_ "Nope! Sissy is really strong! Show them the magic Ashy!" _

_ The quiet girl who hadn't said anything held up her hand, a spectral fire covering it. Fox ooh'd as he knelt down so quickly he momentarily dislodging Little Cato from his perch.  _

_ "What can you do with that?" Little Cato asked, dodging away from the little girl. She let out a peal of bell-like laughter, enjoying the game of tag. _

_ The girl smiled as she threw her hand out, sending a bolt of fire crashing into the bark of a tree. The dry bark immediately caught flame, and within seconds the entire tree was engulfed. Little Cato's eyes narrowed into his 'thinking' look that Fox teased him for.  _

_ "How much control do you have over it? Can you put it out? Can you control who it burns? What about when-" Fox reached down and covered his brother's head with his hand. Effectively muffling his questions.  _

_ "That's really neat!" _

* * *

Ash had wanted to kill Clarence from the first time they met. The voice's whispering in her head went silent as her parents pushed her and her sister towards the man. He walked around the two of them, evaluating and judging them like two pieces of meat to be sold in the marketplace

The voices finally chimed in as the two of them were ushered from the room, their parents' voices echoing as they bargained with the slimy man

_ 'We like him.'  _

By the end of the day, Clarence came to their shared room, telling them to pack their bags. Harp let out a tiny squeal of joy, excited to go on a new adventure. Ash would have too, but something whispered to  _ pay attention to _ -

_ 'Look at his glove, someone didn't clean up enough~' The hissing voice chimed in her ear. It's laugh sounded like the scraping of dry scales.  _

She looked, and recoiled at the sight of blood on the man's tiny hand. He looked up and saw her staring, and smiled. He pulled his gloved hand to his lips and shushed her, sending shivers down her spine. 

She didn't find out that he had murdered her parents until years later, when it was simply another tally mark on a long list she had of "Reasons to kill Clarence."

Her sister was at the top, followed by her new siblings, then a million other things. The man would die one day, hopefully by her hands. She wouldn't lose any more family members to his sadism and greed. 

* * *

_ “Fox.” He ignored the call, smiling at the sunny beach he and his family were laying on. The sun was warm on his face, providing a gentle searing heat that… felt.... Terrible. _

_ He shot awake in his bed, hand slapping at the fire he was sure was covering his head. The dreamscape of the beautiful beachfront already fading from his mind. He let out a groan as he leaned over the bunk bed, looking down at Ash, who was frowning at him. _

_ “Ashy? What the-!” Her hand shot forward, clamping over his lips to silence him. _

_ “Keep it down! Harp isn’t in her room.” Fox stayed silent, waiting for more information. None was given. _

_ “So? Ashy, she’s probably just-”  _

_ “Fox. Something is wrong, Clarence-” Little Cato threw open the door, stopping it from slamming against the wall as he ran inside. His younger brother spun around, eyes widening in surprise at Ash being in the room. _

_ “Ash what are you-” Little Cato began to question the girl, stopping as she pushed into his personal bubble, hands flying to the sides of his face. Fox winced as Little Cato’s expression closed off, eyes instantly becoming guarded at the invasion.  _

_ “What’s happening Cato? Where’s Harp?”  _

_ “I don’t know, but Clarence was really excited about something, he kept talking about same night delivery. I don’t know.” The room was silent at the hybrids words. Ash’s already pale skin sinking into a sallow, corpse like color.  _

_ Fox was confused, what did Harp have anything to do with delivery? The look on Ash’s face, however, was enough to make him panic. Her eye flooded with black, dark tears falling down her face.  _

_ “Where is  _ **_my sister!”_ **

_ Flames flickered up and down her body as her powers strained against her control. Little Cato hissed in pain as one of the flames brushed against him. He shook his hand out as Fox leaned down, taking Ash’s hands in his own.  _

_ The flames immediately leaped to his hand, singeing it as the scent of burning hair and meat filled the room. He blinked back tears as he pulled Ash closer, stifling a low moan of pain. _

_ She cried oily tears into his chest as the flames settled around them, banging her fists against his chest with every wail of anguish. He felt tears running down his own face, from pain or smoke, or maybe the idea that a little sister was gone from his grasp before he knew to hold on.  _

_ The flames around the room slowly settled down, and they no longer burned him. Little Cato crawled from his position under the bed, slowly wrapping his arms around the two of them. Or as far as they could reach. The three of them slowly sank to the floor together, the two smaller ones curling up on his lap.  _

_ “We’ll get her back Ashy, no matter how long it takes. We’ll find her. And we’ll make Clarence pay.  _

* * *

Little Cato couldn’t hear anything over the screaming white noise in his ears. Hands gripped his shoulders, firm yet gentle. They were pulling him behind Daybreak. Who was covered in viscera and blood. 

His foster father’s blood.

_ "He’s a monster kiddo.” _

_ ‘What does that make you?’  _

The world seemed to snap back into focus as Daybreak’s powers blossomed into existence again, orbs of light shimmering to life around them. Small stars orbiting them, dancing on an unseen breeze.

“Sorry to cut our dance short babe, but the sitter I hired for tonight was absolute garbage!” Daybreak cackled as the orbs spun slowly around them. There was no pattern to it, some would ebb close only to flow away. Others stayed almost stationary above their heads. 

“Daybreak, let the kid go. We can talk about this, the man was abusing a minor! We can-” Dark Claw began, his face looking confused and angry. Daybreak cut him off with another laugh, while Little Cato stared at the pile of flesh that used to be his foster parent. 

“Oh come on cat-man! We all know murdering a sick scum bag is probably one of my lightest crimes. You get me in front of a judge and all I’m getting is a short drop with a sudden stop!” Daybreak mimed a piece of rope around his neck, jerking his head to the side and leering with his tongue hanging out.

“That’s-! You’ve-!”

“You killed him.” Little Cato looked over to his siblings. Ash was toeing one of the… chunks left on the ground while Fox was vomiting into a nearby potted plant.

_ 'Oh god they probably think I'm a monster' _

“Yeah sorry, when I saw him hurting my kid I just kinda reacted.” Daybreak reached down to ruffle his hair, not caring about keeping it slicked back any longer. Little Cato gagged when he felt the tack feeling of blood coat his hair. 

“Something tells me you aren’t sad that he’s dead.” Daybreak sneered at his siblings, wrapping one arm possessively around his shoulders. 

Ash’s fire flickered around her, her eyes locked on Little Cato’s. Fox wiped his mouth, spitting on the ground, right next to one of the pieces. He stood to his full height, side by side with his sister. A gun materializing into his hands. 

“He wasn’t yours to kill!” Ash shot her hand forward, fiery serpents flying from her outstretched fingers towards Daybreak. Fox leveled his gun, not taking any shots with Little Cato still so close. 

_ 'They wanted him dead?' _

Daybreak laughed as the orbs spinning in the air descended, engulfing the snakes and floating towards the ceiling.

“Listen princess, as much as I would have loved to see that asshole burn alive for everything he’s done." He threw out several more orbs that absorbed the fire. "That’s a little dark for a hero don’t ya think?” Daybreak spun away from Dark Claw’s kick, slamming a metallic fist towards him. The hybrid hero flipped away from the blow, feet trailing dark lines in the air that slowly spun towards the villain.

"Who said we were heroes?" Fox called out, sending out a single shot that grazed Daybreak's ear. Daybreak looked surprised for half a second, chuckling as he traced the line of blood with his gloved hand. He leaned down and hugged Little Cato, freezing the fight for a moment. 

* * *

“Kiddo, go grab the mayor!” Gary threw Little Claw through the air towards the bathrooms, the last place he had seen the mayor running. He spun with the action, letting a small fire blaze past him. He continued the spin, flipping himself into the air to dodge several of the dark tendrils darting after him. 

He landed, kicking at the ground he drew several lines of light into the air. Forming a barrier between him and the bullets firing from the giant’s (Fox’s) gun. The barrier shook under the onslaught. Gary held the barrier up until Dark Claw leaped at him, namesake ability dripping ink to the ground as he slash an X shape into the barrier. The man rolled away, right as several fiery serpents slammed dead center into the cross. Right after them, Fox’s bullets continued their hailstorm into his shields. Gary let out a surprised yelp as the light buckled inward. The sound of glass shattering filling the air as the light flew towards him uncontrolled. A large shard piercing his arm as he let out an agonized wail.

_ 'Fuck! What else can go wrong tonight?' _

He clutched his bleeding arm as the three heroes surrounded him. The smell of ozone and his hair standing on end had him leaping to the side even as a bolt of lightning crashed down. He continued his frantic sprint across the room as lightning followed him, shattering the marble floor tiles.

_ 'THAT WASN'T A CHALLENGE UNIVERSE!' _

He ducked behind a pillar, panting heavily as he manipulated the light shard embedded in his arm. He reshaped it, making it seal the wound shut even as his nerves screamed in agony as the light shifted against them.

“You guys,” He sucked in a breath and held it, trying to regain composure. “Really aren’t pulling your punches.”

_ ‘C’mon kiddo, find the mayor so we can leave!’ _

Nightfall spun around the pillar where he was currently hiding, an electric spear already swinging towards him. He flashed his hand up, a bright flash momentarily blinding the heroine. The blow went wide and slammed into the floor next to him as he scrambled to his feet. Static making his hair stand on end and his teeth itch. He ran from his cover, abruptly stopping as a bolt of lightning crashed down in front of him. He spun around, only to have to duck underneath a spear flying through where his head was seconds ago. He flipped away, wincing as a shadowy tendril scratched his leg as it tried to ensnare him. He frantically looked side to side, seeing the heroes close in on him. 

"Guys, this is against the rules! Three versus one is hardly fair odds for you!" He let out a dark chuckle he didn't feel at the glares the heroes shot him. 

Shock, Nightfall, and Dark Claw all stood before him in a semicircle, boxing him against the grand windows overlooking the ocean. 

Dark Claw took a step forward, hands held placatingly at his sides.

“Daybreak, it's over. Just let the kid go and we can talk.” Gary took a shaking step backward, closer to the windows. Momentarily considering throwing himself through them into the crashing waves below. He shook that thought away. The kid was still finding the mayor.

_ 'Once he finds that sleaze bag we can leave.' _

“Oh, is it time for monologuing? Or is this the part where you guys try and convince me it’s not too late to be a good guy? And I respond by dramatically flinging myself through the windows into the ocean?” Just because he wasn't going to do it, didn't mean he wouldn't threaten them with it. 

Nightfall closed in on his right, spear held in her hands crackling with electricity. 

“Gary, please. It doesn’t have to be like this.”

“Don’t say that name.” Gary grit his teeth, shifting his feet out for more balance even as the room tilted. 

_ 'Fuck fuck fuck I'm tired. Fucking fuck fuck' _

“Gary, it’s a nicer name than Dabre don’t you think?” Dark Claw gave him a reassuring smile that felt like ice sliding down his spine.

_ 'Dabre never existed you stupid man!' _

“Gary is dead. That’s a dead person's name so shut up!” Gary swung up his hand, slashing a beam of light at the three of them. They all jumped over it, like a demented game of jump rope.

_ 'Shut up shut up stop saying it shut up!' _

“Gary please-” Nightfall began again, only stopping as Gary let out an echoing shriek. His powers forming tendrils of light that lashed out at everything. 

“I SAID SHUT UP!” 

* * *

Little Claw scrambled to his feet, sprinting across the room ballroom to the adjacent halls. He could hear footsteps chasing after him. 

_ ‘I don’t think I like people throwing me. Who would have thought?’ _

He pulled at every door he came across, frowning at them when they were locked. He continued, until one door opened up to show the bug man that had grabbed him earlier. He was sobbing in a broom closet, holding a broom as his only defense.

"Please I didn't-"

Little Claw closed the door and continued his frantic search. 

_ 'That is a metaphorical pandora's box I am ok with leaving shut' _

“Little Cato!” He glimpsed down the hall, seeing Fox and Ash sprinting down it towards him. 

He let out a mewl of distress as he ran from them. He flicked at his suit, cheering as one of the disk explosives landed in his hand. He used a claw to flick open the paneling, pulling at the cords and reprogramming it as he ran from them. 

_ ‘Move this one over here, take down the blast radius and then-’ _

“Cato stop running from us!” Fox screamed at him. Little Claw responded by snapping the bomb together, flinging the discarded bits to the side. They smacked into a wall and left a blackened mark where they landed. 

He threw the rest of it at his siblings.

Time seemed to slow as the bomb beeped in the air. Ash and Fox momentarily stopped their run as they both tried to shield each other from the blast, eyes widening in betrayal.

The bomb beeped three more times as it landed at their feet.

Little Claw laughed as he ran, hearing the beeping continuing as his siblings momentarily scrambled. Then stared in confusion at the bomb, that didn't do anything but beep. 

“Did you seriously throw a fake bomb at us?” Ash was floating in the air now, flying towards him faster than Fox’s lumbering gait could allow.

“It was a real bomb! Just removed the explody bits!” He smiled as he ran, momentarily forgetting where he was.

“You little jerk!” Ash cackled, sending several small firebolts after him. Each one was easily dodged, but it did make him waste energy leaping over them.

“Guys! Now is not the time to be playing around!” Fox was panting as he caught up to them, wheezing even as he did his best to keep pace. Ash started flying slower as Little Cato eased up his pace.

“Where are we even going?” Fox asked as he regained his breath, still winded from the sprinting earlier.

“I was just following Cato.” Ash shrugged as she spun in the air. Her dress fluttered in the air like a sail. The pretty purple color from earlier was almost black in spots where the blood had seeped into the fabric. 

“I need to grab the mayor.” Little Cato tensed his legs, ready to run again.

_ ‘You could have eased them into it, idiot!’ _

“Alrighty. How come? Like I get that Daybreak told you too, but why?” Fox asked, standing tall as he walked with his siblings.

“You guys are just- without? You could-” Little Cato scrambled as he tried to put words together, shocked as his siblings both laughed at him.

“Stupid!” Ash punched him in the shoulder, then floated down and hugged him. 

“We were never against you! We just wanted you back.” Fox picked both of them up and hugged them in his large arms. 

Little Cato couldn’t breathe, between Ash’s dress smothering his face, and Fox crushing his ribcage, he found it impossible to draw in air. 

He had never felt safer.

Fox finally set him down, and Ash took a step back, pushing her hair out of her eyes. They both stared at him expectantly, he was always the plan maker when they were younger and avoiding Clarence’s wrath.

“Guys, I don’t think Daybreak is the bad guy here.”

* * *

Gary shook as his powers batted at the heroes. Shock was ducking around pillars, trying to escape the tendrils chasing her. Nightfall was fighting them off with her spear, slicing through them every time they approached. Dark Claw was tearing through them, ripping them apart with his claws as he fought to get to him. The three of them fighting in sync to slowly whittle away his energy. 

He wrapped his arms around his stomach, wincing at the surge of fire that lanced through him. He couldn’t remember the last time he had gotten this close to Overloading, it had to have been-

~~ “ _ Play time’s over The Gary” _ ~~

~~_ “Run! We need to leave!” _ ~~

~~_ “He’s still back there!” _ ~~

~~_ “There’s nothing we can do!” _ ~~

He fought down the memory as he refocused on the fight. Somehow Shock and Nightfall had regrouped, the two ladies fighting back to back as the light spiraled around them. Acting like a pack of dogs, one beam would push forwards, slinking back before they could sever it as one darted at them from behind. 

Dark Claw was still fighting through a horde of the tendrils, screaming something as he ripped into them like a wild animal.

The fire intensified in his stomach, making his vision go white for a moment with pain. He quickly stood only to see a few of the tendrils fizz away like soda on the sidewalk. The heroes looked questioningly at him, and he raised his fist from the ground.

The few beams of light that still remained seemed faster, zipping around the pillars and swelling in the air, grabbing their attention and forcing the three of them to stand back to back.

_ ‘Kiddo, any time now!’ _

* * *

“So you’re saying-!”

“I’m pretty sure the mayor is involved in some scummy stuff yeah!”

“Little Cato that makes so much sense! Why the hell would he be friends with the owner of a group home? And think of all the kids that would come into the house for a week tops! Where did they go?” Ash nodded along to Fox, picturing a small face with pink hair, clutching to a teddy bear when they were both dropped off.

“So let’s go grab him and get him to Daybreak! The guy obviously has a plan right?” Little Cato nodded, he didn’t know the plan, but Daybreak had always had one.

The three of them opened the last door at the end of the hall, grinning as it eased open to a dark office.

“Spread out and find him, or anything incriminating. Documents or a flash drive, I’ll hack his computer.”

“Not necessary kids.” Said a lisping voice from the office desk chair. It slowly spun around, to reveal a smiling Awe. Reclining on the chair as if it was a throne, his hand was slowly drifting back and forth over his stomach. Silence filled the room for several seconds, before Fox cleared his throat and broke the tension. 

“Uh… What are you doing?” Fox asked, drawing his siblings gazes, he shuffled under their attention. “What! It looks weird right?” He gestured to where the shapeshifter had stilled, frowning.

“It was supposed to look like I was stroking a cat. I didn’t have a cat (I should have had a cat).”

“Awe, it doesn’t matter, do you know where the mayor is?” Ash interjected, still hyper from the idea of Clarence finally being dead. 

“He’s tied up in the corner.” Awe gestured to the side, where indeed the mayor was lying prostrate on the ground. Ankles tied to his knees with a velvet robe. It was tied in a bow?

“Why is he tied up like that?”

“I have a storied and interesting past kiddos, I only know how to tie people up like-"

“Like it's a bondage porno,” Ash interjected, everyone ignored it for sanity’s sake.

“Like that (I was always the one to tie people up). The mayor is a terrible person though.”

“So Daybreak was right!” Little Cato cheered, his  dad caretaker wasn’t a bad guy! Or maybe he was, but he targeted other bad guys!

“Did Daybreak tell you the mayor was bad?” Awe asked him, multiple eyes shifting to look around the room even as several focused on him.

“Well, he never outright said it… But Fox and Ash said he was friends with Clarence right? And Clarence was the worst guy we knew!" Little Cato's mind was flying with elation. He wasn't a villain, his caretaker wasn't a complete villain, he could fix this!

_ "It's gonna be alright ma!' _

“Who the beans is Clarence? Nevermind. Kids,” Awe took a breath in, stretching out xir legs and standing up.

“Good and bad aren’t just black and white. There can be good people who do bad things, or bad people who do good things. You can do the right things, but it can still be for the wrong reasons, or do the wrong thing for the right reasons.”

“Thanks for the after school special Awe.” Ash snarked out, poking the unconscious mayor in his eye.

“It’s an important lesson that even adults forget sometimes kid.” Awe stood up and clapped xir hands. “Alrighty, what’s the plan to calm down the yahoo’s in the other room?

Little Cato slapped himself, he had completely forgotten Daybreak was fighting three other hero’s as he sat and chatted with a shapeshifting philosopher. 

_ 'A shapeshifter...' _ His mind flew through plans, discarding and picking up ideas as Fox nudged Ash and gestured at him. The two siblings shared a smile as he plotted. 

_ 'Daybreak is fighting three other heroes, after he just tore apart a guy in front of them. I haven't seen him sleep since he captured me, and he was already looking exhausted when we got to the party. They aren't going to take it easy on him, and he's fighting on fumes. We just need to distract him and take him down for a moment, then me and the others can get him out of here. Awe already knows what the mayor did. Two bad guys taken care of, Fox and Ash can live with Daybreak and me, and we'll get away! We would need another distraction though, and we could use the bombs!' _

“Ok, here’s the plan!” 

* * *

Daybreak was panting, blood streaming freely from his (probably broken) nose. The three heroes weren’t looking much better. Shock had completely resorted to hand to hand combat. Nightfall had lost several pieces of armor that the tendrils had torn from her, exposing a bleeding midriff where a fragment had sliced her flesh. Dark Claw was unharmed, but his powers were flickering in and out, he was tiring out. 

“C’mon assholes, is that all you got!” Gary raised his hands threateningly, only three tendrils of light forming to chase the exhausted trio. 

His stomach rebelled at his use of power, sending bloody bile shooting up his esophagus. He doubled over, barely catching himself with one hand as Shock came sprinting towards him.

He redirected the beams of light to intercept her, frowning as Dark Claw took the opportunity to shred one into non-existence. The other two continued on their path, weaving together into a single strand. The light slammed into her, knocking the electric hero off her feet, flying through the air to where Nightfall caught her. 

“Are you ok?” He heard her ask. Shock muttered something unintelligible back to her, a weak hand resting on Nightfall’s mask. The two of them seemingly ignoring the rest of the world, caught in the gravitational pull of themselves. 

_ ‘It’s so sweet! I wanna vomit.’ _

“Stand down Daybreak! It’s over!” Dark Claw stood in front of the other two, claws at the ready, inky shadows dripping from them.

Gary spat blood on to the side, rising unsteadily to his feet. 

“The date isn’t over yet babe!” He smiled a bloody grin as Dark Claw shifted his stance, ready to pounce.

“We haven’t even watched the fireworks yet!”

He raised his communicator, ready to slap the detonator on it when a voice called out.

“Daybreak!” 

His eyes shot to the corner of the room, where the mayor was holding Little Cato. A gun pointed to his head. 

“Kid?” He swayed on his feet, blinking at the blurry image. Surely it was just the blood running down his face that made him see that. Surely the kid wouldn’t get caught by a civilian.

“Daybreak I-!” A hand wrapped over the kid's face, the gun pressing harshly against his neck. The mayor was saying something. The heroes were shouting something back, but he couldn’t look away from Little Cato’s eyes.

Little Cato, not Little Claw. It wasn’t the hero he  abducted adopted. It wasn’t the villain in training, it was just a scared teen. That had a gun pressed against his neck.

For the second time that night, Gary saw red. 

With a primal scream, he rose from his feet, light sparking in his hands as he ran forward. He could feel the light eating at his insides, the taste of blood flooding his mouth. Every footstep felt like his bones were shattering into glass, the shards tearing at his muscles as he pushed himself forward.

Dark Claw leaped at him from the side. He slid underneath the lunge, and lifted the feline hero into the air. Using the momentum, he turned and tossed him to the side. 

He kept running. 

Shock raised her hand and sent a bolt of lightning at him. Light wrapped around him in a shield. The light absorbed the shock and the resulting shock wave shattered the windows.

He kept running. 

Nightfall tossed her spear like a javelin. It flew through the air, straight and true. He turned his body, too weak to catch it, too tired to dodge it, and let it slice off his metal arm. He followed through on the spin, swaying as the momentum carried him forward. He choked on another roar as the light flooded into his hand, two walls separating the mayor and  **his son.**

He kept running. 

He never felt the dart enter his neck.

His feet carried him closer, he managed to put a single hand on Little Cato's shoulder as the world spun around his eyes.

"Are... you..." Ok. He couldn't finish the sentence as he felt his bones relax against his will. 

The world swayed and darkened at the edges as Little Cato caught him, holding him as he fell.

_ ‘What’s… happening…’ _

Little Cato was saying something, his voice being drowned out by the thudding in his head. 

_ ‘Run… kid…’ _

One of the teen’s arms was holding his head, the other gestured as he spoke. 

It was holding a dart gun.

_ ‘Kiddo…’ _

And the world faded into darkness.


	5. Interlude 1: Airgone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Interlude chapter! Because these are fun easy ways to build backstories.

“Come on, what are you gonna do, cry like a baby?” The bully’s shove knocked her to the ground, her books flying from her grasp and scattering. She glared up at them with tears in her eyes.

“I’m not a baby!” She pushed herself to her feet, hands clenched tightly into fists as she looked at the three older kids surrounding her. She held a rock in her hand that she had picked up when she fell. Hidden within her fingers and scaping at the soft flesh of her young hands. 

“I think you are! A little powerless baby!” The bully shoved at her again, stumbling as she moved to the side and sent a punch at his stomach with the rock in hand.

He doubled over as his two cronies came and grabbed her by the arms, pulling her roughly. She tried to pull out of their grip to no avail. 

“You’re gonna regret that Normy!” The word stung more than she liked, a reminder that she didn’t have powers. Wouldn’t have powers, would always be looked at as small and defenseless.

The bully's eyes glowed green as he pulled back a punch, the two laughing jerks holding her still. She clenched her teeth and stared him down, she wouldn’t shut her eyes and look away.

Even with her eyes open, the flash of light surprised her, as well as the shouting from another kid.

“Let her go you jerks!” Standing several feet away was a small boy, around her age. Light poured out of his fingers and into a comically sized hammer that slapped into the leader. The other two dropping her and running to his side. She quickly ran to the other boy's side, pulling her fists up in a ready stance like her mother taught her.

“You little turd! I’m gonna-” The rest of his taunt was cut off as a sharp whistle filled the air. Everyone winced and looked at the ground, while the after school attendant ran over. Quinn quickly picked up her books, shoving them into her bag while the attendant grew close enough to hear.

“...Can’t just be using your powers! What if someone got hurt?” Quinn picked up her last book, nearly dropping it as her savior grabbed her by the arm.

“Come on!” He pulled her and they began running across the field, Quinn stumbling for the first few steps before her legs remembered to _move_.

She looked back and laughed as the bullies were getting talked down too, one of them sending a venomous sneer at her. She just laughed and continued running with the boy.

They reached the end of the schoolyard and sat by a shady oak tree, laughing and panting. The boy stuck out his hand, beaming with the sunlight behind him.

“I’m Gary Goodspeed, let’s be friends!” Quinn laughed and nodded, shaking his hand and smiling.

“Quinn Airgone, I’d like that a lot!”

* * *

“I’m telling you, you can do anything those jerks can!” Gary fluttered slightly in the air, light blooming behind his back as wings blossomed into existence. He had been working on it for weeks, and still, he was only able to shakily lift himself into the air for a few moments before he fell back down.

“I know, but-” She began, tossing a ball into the air and catching it as it fell. The park they sat in was lit with the morning sun, dawning light filtering between trees as others went about their morning business.

“No buts!” Gary stumbled slightly as his wings cut off mid-flight, catching himself using her shoulder. 

“You are way stronger than them! Plus you’re really smart and fast too!” He moved in front of her, chocolate ice cream smeared on his nose from earlier. Their parents were sitting on the other side of the path, watching them with fond smiles as they talked about boring adult things.

“You are gonna be ten times the hero those jerks could ever be!” He pumped his fist in the air, a beaming smile that seemed to be brighter than the sun covering his young face.

She shyly smiled back, before taking her vanilla cone and pressing it against his nose.

“Guess that will make you my sidekick!” He let out a series of offended squeals as he wiped at his nose, before tackling her to the ground with a happy shout.

She ended up with the cone on her forehead like a unicorn. She didn’t mind that much.

* * *

“C’mon, it’ll be so much fun! We can get all of our homework done super fast and then eat junk food and do our nails and talk about boys~!” Quinn cheered as she dragged Gary in through her front door.

“Quinn!” Gary let out a shrill squeak, voice cracking as young teens do. 

“I wouldn’t say anything if I thought my family was around, even though they wouldn’t care because I-” She began, setting her backpack on the small wooden table.

“Am a raging bisexual who has the hots for Stacy- Ahk! Quinn no!” He cut off with a strangled shout as she pulled at his shirt, effectively cutting off his air and words.

“I will choke you out again Goodspeed so help me!” They were both wearing grins as they wrestled. Gary let out a shout of protest.

“Not fair! I can’t hit a girl!” Quinn responded with a quick jab to his stomach, winding him and moving away from his retaliatory swing.

“The hammer of justice is unisex bitch!” The two of them fell to the ground with laughter at her delivery of the quote. They basked in each other's company for several seconds, enjoying the silence.

“Hey Quinn?” Gary stared up at the ceiling above them, idly tracing patterns on the wood floor with wandering fingers.

“Yeah?” Quinn’s head was next to his, she mirrored him in looking at the ceiling. The lights needed dusting, and she really should clean the ceiling fan before her parents got home, but that was a task for later.

“If you could have powers, what would you choose?” Gary’s voice was a mixture of calm and excited, kind and afraid. The topic of powers had always been a sore one that the friends avoided. The silence stretched between them, slightly painful and awkward before-

“Flying, I would love to fly.” She finally answered, looking at the ceiling, but instead seeing the sky beyond it. Open and free, filled with clouds and birds and stars and light.

“I would give anything to fly.” Gary’s face appeared over hers. The beaming smile he always wore filling her vision. 

“I promise when I’m strong enough, I’ll help you fly!” Quinn smiled up at her friend, knowing it wasn’t a childish promise, but one he meant to carry through.

“Can, can I see them?” She worried at her lip with her teeth, feeling foolish for the question. Gary’s smile turned from a full grin, showing all his teeth, to a calm warm thing. The wings slowly unfurled from his back, tendrils of light with a thin membrane connecting them. The glowed in his signature golden light, and being so close to them felt like standing in the sunlight.

She reached up and gently ran her fingers over the outer edge, drawing her hand back like she had been burned as Gary gasped.

“Are you okay? She reprimanded herself in her mind, hoping she hadn’t hurt her friend, when he started giggling. She stared at him with an incredulous look as he choked down his laughter.

“They’re just really sensitive, and it kinda tickled?” He stopped looming over her and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. The smile slowly faded as Quinn began to smirk.

“Don’t-!” It was all he was able to get out before she reached forward and pinned him to the ground, mercilessly fluttering her hands over the outstretched wings.

“Quinn, ahah stop it! Quinn! Noooo! St-Staaa ahhh!” Gary let out a string of gibberish.

“What’s that? I can’t understand you?” Quinn continued her assault. That's where her parents found them when they came home, Quinn mounted over Gary's spine mercilessly fluttering her hands over the glowing wings. The two of them howling with laughter. 

* * *

Quinn let out a shout of anger as she rolled on the ground, eyes narrowed in determination at her enemy on the other side of the mats. 

John Goodspeed had the audacity to smile at her. 

She let out another battle cry as she charged him, running with her body low to the ground, remembering his last lesson.

_“You’re young, so you’re smaller than most people right now. Use that.”_

She ducked underneath his lazy kick, punching at his stomach. She felt the punch connect, and let out a stream of swears as the bones in her hand ached.

“You probably shouldn’t do that Quinn.” Gary started from where he was sitting on the sidelines, sipping a blue sports drink. He was also looking more worn, bruises covering his arms and legs from sparring with her and his father.

“Most people you fight are going to be reinforced in some way, I’m just more durable.” John smiled at her as he slid away from her low kick. She let out another yell of frustration and punched him in the nose, wanting to wipe the slightly smug smile off his face.

She howled in pain as this time something shifted in her hand, a searing pain that was more than just normal sparing. John immediately was by her side, pulling her hand away and examining it. Gentle fingers spread fire over her hand as he prodded at the bones.

“Shit. Your parents are going to kill me.” Gary ran over to the medical kit they kept in the training room. Pulling it off the wall he grabbed an instant ice pack and squeezed it beneath his hands, a cracking noise that mixed the chemicals to create an instant slushy of coldness.

He brought it over to Quinn, and led her to the nearby bench to sit down. She was sniffing slightly, but not crying! Crying was for little girls, not superheroes. Or superheroes in training. 

“Yeah, she broke two of her fingers. By punching me- I know Lia I didn’t- yeah. Yeah, I understand.” John held a phone to his ear, calling her mother by the sound of it her mother was tearing into him.

 _'Good!'_ She thought spitefully as she nursed her aching hand. Her mother had retired from being a hero years ago, but she still kept up her regimen. And made sure to teach Quinn as well. 

“You ok?” Gary held out his drink, a new straw placed in it besides his. Quinn took the offered drink, grabbing both straws with her lips in a spiteful move. Gary just smiled and nudged her with his shoulder, placing the ice pack lightly on her hand. 

She let out a muffled hiss of pain through the straws and drank in her mouth at the icy feeling, but didn’t pull away. 

“Can’t believe you punched dad in the face.” Gary smiled at her, as she leaned over and lightly headbutted his nose. He let out a squawk of false outrage and dragged the drink away from her, smiling gently. 

“You’re not as durable Gary, let’s see how my other hand does!” She stood threateningly, smiling all the while. 

* * *

Quinn sat shaking in her front room, staring at the television with shock as a camera drone flew around the wreckage. A reporter's voice droned on in the background, clinically telling the details of how her friend was-

 _“Young Gary Goodspeed’s powers fluctuate sometime in the early morning, somehow tearing a disruption in the fabric of our reality. Local hero John Goodspeed, aka Lightforce, was reportedly seen closing the breach, but his current whereabouts are unknown, We go now to a live interview with his son.”_ The camera panned over, showing the destroyed home in the background. The home that she had spent so many nights at, laughing and playing with Gary while John made them food, or watched silly movies with them, or trained them and it _was just gone._

The camera continued to move until it finally showed Gary, dirt and dust covering his face as bright pops of light sparked around his fingers, a sign as clear as the fear on his face that he was uncomfortable. Tear tracks cut through the dirt, as with red-rimmed and slightly glazed eyes he looked around.

 _“Do you know what happened?”_ The careless reporter shoved a microphone into his face as he eyes searched frantically around him

 _“Dad, where’s my dad?”_ He asked, eyes gaining slight focus as they landed on the reporter.

 _“Were you jealous of your father?”_ The reporter continued on, uncaring of his turmoil. Quinn felt her skin boil as it played on the screen, a disgusting melody as she searched for her shoes.

 _“I don’t, I don’t know what's happening… Please, where’s my dad?”_ Gary continued, the light popping increasing in intensity.

Quinn shoved her feet in her shoes, wincing slightly as the sides bit into her toes. She had placed them on the wrong feet.

She was already running out the door, ignoring the reporter’s last question.

 _“Did you kill your father?”_ All the fire turned to ice in Quinn’s veins as she saw a pillar of light shoot into the sky as Gary’s powers responded to his emotions. 

_‘Hold on Gary, I’m on my way.’_

* * *

It had been three weeks since the incident, and Gary was finally allowed visitors in the hospital. For three weeks she had sat in class and ignored everything the teachers told her, every question the other kids asked.

_“You’re friends with that freak right?”_

_“Did he really kill his dad?”_

_“I heard he grew wings and ripped a reporter in half!”_

All of those kids ended up nearly failing that semester, apparently, someone hacked into their school records and lowered their grades to below failing. The staff never caught the culprit, and Quinn was never going to let them know it was her.

She walked up to the patient room, where two heroes stood guard. One of them, a lady with pale blond hair, a scar on her cheek, and wearing tight dusty pink leathers nodded at her. The other looked down at his hand, dark skin furrowing as he looked at the hologram docket of information.

“Quinn Airgone?” He asked in a raspy voice, wrinkled eyes furrowing deeper.

She nodded, moving towards the door.

“You have ten minutes.”  
She ignored the man and pulled open the door, choking down a sob at what she saw. Gary layed on the hospital bed in a simple gown, tubes and needles filling all the available flesh on his arms. A mask over his face breathed oxygen into his lungs. A steady drone of machines beeping filled the air as she hurried to his side, hearing the door slide shut behind her.

“Gary? Gary can you-” She swallowed down another cry at the bruises that painted her friend's skin like a morbid display of art.

“Gary, can you hear me?” His glassy eyes slowly moved over to her, and he nodded slowly. 

"I'm so glad you're ok! What- No. You can tell me once you're better. I'm just- don't- don't" She finally felt a sob rise in her throat, and couldn't choke it down in time.

"Don't freak me out like that again!"

* * *

“Gary… Are you sure about this?” She looked questioningly around the dark room, trusting that her friend of five years wouldn’t intentionally hurt her, but still feeling weary of his lack of forethought. 

And of his desperation. 

Over the course of the last year, he had become obsessed with building something in the garage. Going so far as to drop out of school to dedicate time to his endeavor. After the incident, and when he was finally released from the hospital, he grew slightly colder to his best (and only) friend. He never said anything, but they didn’t hang out as much, him always having some excuse.

“Of course! When am I ever not sure?” She heard rummaging in the corner as he plugged wires into separate ports. Connecting cords to the dully glowing ring pulsating in the center of the best of wires. He continued as he wiggled around on the ground, tugging wires behind him.

“I did the math, and then you double-checked it right?” Quinn nodded, then spoke after realizing Gary couldn't see her from his position.

“I did, but-”

“Quinn, you’re a genius, I’m a genius. There's no way we messed this up, and if it works…” He trailed off, looking off the far wall, where a picture lay face down on the desk.

“Gary, maybe it’s time to let go-"

"No!" She leaped back as he rose from the tangle of wires, a desperate look in his eyes.

"This will work, it has too! I'll reopen the breach and find him! He's still out there Quinn!"

"It's been three years!" Quinn raised her voice in response to his anger. 

"He's still alive-" Small bits of light came into being around Gary's head, falling like flakes of snow as Quinn stalked closer.

"Three years without any contact!" Quinn pokes Gary in the chest, trying to get him to understand. “He’s gone! And I’m afraid I’m going to lose you!” 

"You don't know-!" Gary backpedaled, as the lights began swirling around the room, more skin to a storm than a gentle snowfall.

"If he was still alive-!" Quinn was undeterred by the bits of light that flew around her, desperate to make her friend come back to reality 

"Shut up!" Gary's powers blossomed into a boom that blasted Quinn back against the wall, the light filling the air before slowly being drained into the metallic ring.

Gary gave a concerned glance to Quinn before running to the ring, staring at its glow. His gaze slowly grew more and more disappointed as time passed.

"It's not enough…" Gary's tone grew dark as determination filled his face. Wings sprouted from his back in a vibrant display of golden light, fluttering as the ring slowly began to siphon the light from them.

"Gary, what are you doing?" Her friend ignored her as she lifted herself off the ground, wincing as she felt the back of her head.

Her fingers came away red.

She ignored it in favor of questioning her friend, who still ignored her. The ring glowed brighter and brighter as it stole more and more of Gary's light. The teen slowly grew pale as his nose started bleeding.

"Gary stop!" Quinn winced as she put her weight down on her right leg, a burning fire shooting up and stealing her breath.

She grit her teeth and marched closer shouting again.

"Gary!" He stumbled as blood began flowing in earnest from his nose, he caught himself on the bright ring and screamed as it seared his hand.

Quinn reached her friend and began tugging at him, trying to rip him away from the ring, to no avail. He stayed attached even as he began screaming. 

Quinn felt panic rise in her lungs, a choking, clouding emotion that felt blinding in its intensity.

His wings, normally large enough to fill up the room, began to slowly recede back into his spine, starting at the tips which faded into nothingness as he was drained.

"GARY!" Quinn screamed as she frantically looked around the room for something to use, anything that might help save her friend. The entire search accompanied by his screams as the ring began to let out a low whine of metal under pressure.

Finally, her eyes landed on the cords and wires he had been plugging in. She dashed forward, ripping them out of the sockets and wincing as sparks danced on her skin.

A blast of power sent her rolling across the room for the second time that night. Head ringing and body bruised, it took her minutes to reorient herself.

When she could finally sit up without falling on her side, she stared in wonder at the ring floating free in the middle of the room. Gary let out a hysterical laugh as he slowly sat up.

“I did it, I did it! I DID IT!” The laugh grew in intensity as he struggled to his feet, swaying as he walked closer to the ring. He was silhouetted against the glowing light of the ring, fingers curled into claws as he threw his head back and laughed. Blood flowing down his face in slow rivulets.

“Gary, what did you-” She shook her head, remembering the pages of complex equations he had her look over. _‘God why didn’t I question it?’_

“Gary what did we do?” She walked over the top of the wires, dead on the ground with no more energy flowing through them.

“It’s a stabilized breach! My powers are cosmically related, we always knew that. But dad was doing research on how we could potentially make my powers bend the light of reality around certain points, making-" Quinn cut him off, terror in her voice. 

“Wormholes. John had you trying to make wormholes?!” Quinn didn’t bother disguising her shock and fear at the statement.

“Not trying! I was too young, not trained enough, but he was researching! And…and….” He trailed off, manic energy fading slightly. His shoulders slumped as he looked over her pitifully.

“I found the research, and thought I could handle it. Quinn. It was my fault- Dad got hurt because of me.” Gary wrapped his arms around his middle, hunching over as if the weight of the world was pressing against him. Before Quinn could say anything, about how it wasn’t his fault, about how dumb it was to think that, about how mad John would be if he knew how much it was eating at him, the ring began to glow a deeper red.

Gary’s eyes shot up from where they were burning holes into the ground, moving closer to the ring.

“No, no no no that’s not right! FUCK!” Gary pulled at his hair as the ring began to vibrate, the glow deepening.

“Gary, what’s happening?” Quinn moved over to her friend's side, steadying him as he looked around the ring.

“It’s destabilizing! It- fuck- we must have missed something!” He began pushing her back, towards the door. The crimson light spilling across the metal wires painting a haunting image, looking like a false idol with fleshy tendrils reaching out for them.

“How do we stop it?” Quinn’s voice was iron-strong as she moved with him, backing away faster.

“We don’t, we run!” Gary spun on his ankle, pulling Quinn through the door and outside with him. The two of them barely made it outside before Gary let his wings flood outward. He screamed in pain as they unfolded, once brilliant and full they were tattered and fading, several holes poking through the light that made them up.

He let out a shout of pain as he flapped them, pulling the two of them into the air. The light looked faded and weak in the pale moonlight.

“Gary!” Quinn let out a shout of fear as they fluttered into the air, too slow. An explosion of crimson light consumed the garage. Quinn shut her eyes against the heat and light that filled her mind, the last thought in her head was how scared she was of falling. 

* * *

Quinn sat in the hospital bed, staring blankly into space. The hospital staff checks in with her occasionally, but she hadn’t responded to any of their questions or pity filled looks. She just stared into the distance, thinking about nothing.

_‘Light, pain, tearing, darkness, I can’t feel what happened to them why can’t I feel anything? Is Gary ok? Stupid plan stupid stupid desperate, darkness.’_

She didn’t say anything when a nurse came in and told her what she already knew, that she was paralyzed.

She didn’t say anything when they said the garage had burned down to ashes, and they needed to know what happened.

She didn’t say anything when a nurse came in and told her that Gary died. Her best friend died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, and that due to concerns over radiation or some _bullshit_ they wouldn’t have a body to bury. 

She didn’t say anything when a man in a black suit entered her room, wrinkled skin looking familiar.

“My name is Superior Stone. I don’t know if you remember me Ms. Airgone, but I remember you.” Quinn didn’t respond, she just looked out the window at the beautiful sunny day outside. A normal day, where normal people did normal things. 

She and Gary would have gotten ice cream on a day like this.

“John Goodspeed was a good friend of mine, and after he died, he wanted me to watch after his son.” Stone continued, walking closer to her bed with a grim look.

“I… didn’t do enough for Gary. But John saw you as-” 

“Go away.” Quinn’s voice croaked with disuse, a pitiful sounding gurgle that had her wincing internally. 

“No. I let John’s son push me away and look where that got us.” Quinn turned her neck fast enough to wince as the underused muscles screamed in protest, and shot the man a venomous glare.

“I should have been there, but I wasn’t. And now Gary’s dead too.” Stone continued, ignoring her look.

“Go away!” Her voice seized as she tried to shout, leading her into a small coughing fit as he went on.

“And you’re paralyzed, the last person to be trained under Lightforce and-”

“Go away!

“We have a cybernetics program that can get you back on your feet, literally.” 

Quinn wanted to attack him, tear him apart with her hands. Scratch claw and fight and scream. Her whole world felt like it was falling apart and here he was, offering her robotic implants.

Implants that would make her able to walk again.

Able to fight again.

“You don’t have to decide today, but I’ve already let your parents know. They’ll be by later today to talk about it with you.” Quinn turned her head away and stared outside again, watching the sunlight filter through the leaves of a nearby tree and feeling a sob rise in her throat.

“I’ll leave my card here. The world needs fighters Airgone, now more than ever. We lost the Goodspeed's, I hope we don’t lose you too.”

She waited until she heard the door click shut to let her tears flow. 


	6. Chapter 6

_ “Kiddo, are you sure about this plan?” Tribore asked, skin shifting into a darker, more human tone as xie took the mayor’s appearance. Fox was off to the side, wrecking the office and spreading chaos. Making it look like they were searching for something specific while leaving several clues to the mayor's shady dealings out in the open.  _

_ The teen in front of him was holding a small metal tumbler in his hand, filled with a bubbling clear liquid that was slowly boiling away as Ash held a small fire underneath it. _

_ “What choice do we have? It’s the best chance we got. Who knows, maybe they’ll surprise us. A little more Ash.” He muttered as the girl’s flame shifted from a light pink to a deep magenta. The liquid continued to boil away, a slight film coating the sides of the metal.  _

_ “The dust will only work for five minutes when it’s spread out, so you guys will have to be fast.” Tribore ruffled their hair and laid a dart gun on the mayor’s desk, walking over to watch Fox try to rip a door off a safe hidden behind a painting. _

_ Xie ignored the fact that the gun was lighter when xie came back.  _

* * *

Little Cato swallowed down the lump in his throat. 

Daybreak’s eyes focused on the gun, he knew they did. Daybreak would know that he shot him. 

_ ‘Shit.’ _

“Great job kids.” Shock was leaning heavily on Nightfall, limping and wincing with every half step they took towards where Little Cato was holding Daybreak in his lap. Fox ran over and wrapped his arms underneath both of them, carrying them closer and setting them on the ground.

Ash walked over and handed a roll of gauze to Dark Claw, gesturing to his hands. The flesh was torn and bloodied, looking like it had been held against a red hot cheese grater. He shrugged in a tired way and she began wrapping his hands. 

“The police are on their way, they’ll be here soon.” Nightfall looked like she wanted to say more, but was too exhausted. Dark Claw let out a heavy sigh, eyes locked onto Gary’s unmoving body.

“We’ll deal with that when they get here.” He didn’t even wince as Ash tugged on the bandage, checking how tight it was. “Smart move, by the way.” Little Cato looked up, and Dark Claw went on. “Distracting him like that, how’d you know it would work?”

Little Cato shrugged dispassionately, folding Daybreak’s hands over his chest as if the man was a mummy in a sarcophagus. The villain's watch glinting in the bright room.

He did his best to ignore the blood.

“Daybreak is loyal.” Part of him wanted to elaborate, go further on.  _ ‘You’ve been fighting him for years and he never killed you, isn’t that weird? He’s had so many chances and he always found a reason to let you guys go. He killed my abuser in a crowded party even though he knew it would get him into a fight that he couldn’t win.’ _

Dark Claw gave him a tiny smile, as if the senior hero could hear the inner monologue and agree, but wouldn’t say it out loud. 

“Welp, this might not be the best time, but what now?” Awe’s skin shimmered and seemed to melt away, the human form of the mayor falling away and revealing the green flesh beneath. Xie walked over to lean against a pillar, a slightly awkward distance away, but the pose was cooler. 

“We all go to the hospital?” Shock said with a tired grin, laying on the ground with her head curled on Nightfall’s thighs.

“I meant with Daybreak and the kids.” Awe looked around the room, centering xir eyes on Little Cato.

“Well, hospital, and then probably a rehabilitation center for the kids, and Gary…” Nightfall broke off, looking away from the villain on the floor. Her eyes fell to the floor and she looked seconds away from tears, but before anyone could comment she raised her head. She took a deep breath as ice entered her eyes, hard and unfeeling as the mechanics that ran through her body. 

“Gary made his choices.” 

There was a beat of silence as the words settled into everyone’s thoughts. Shock looked exhausted, while Awe winced. Dark Claw frowned and looked seconds from speaking up, but was beaten by Little Cato. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Little Cato stood, letting Daybreak slide to the ground. His eyes were narrowed into pinpricks of rage at Nightfall, the heroine giving him a tired look.

“Kid-”

“No! ‘He made his choices’? Are you- you’re just-” He let out a frustrated groan as he pulled at his ears. Stalking forward with agitation written over his every feature. 

“He made mistakes but that doesn’t mean we should let him die!”

“He killed people! That’s different than- '' Nightfall interjected, before being interrupted again. 

“Bad people! People who would keep going on doing bad things if they weren’t stopped and-!” Little Cato had crossed the room to stand in front of Nightfall, staring at the heroine with unconcealed rage. 

“And plenty of innocents who got in the way! You’ve known him for, what kid, a week? I’ve known him my entire life! He was my best friend!” Nightfall was standing now, tears in her eyes. 

“He’s not a good guy, not anymore!” The room was silent as they stared at each other, and the rest gave nervous glances between them. Little Cato swallowed down a lump in his throat at the sorrow in Nightfall's voice, burying it down deep inside himself, and letting the incredulous anger rise to the surface again. 

“Fine, have it your way.” Little Cato growled low in his throat, before letting out a sharp whistle.

Fox darted forward, faster than his size would suggest possible, and stabbed a dart into each of the heroines by his feet. One entered Shock’s thigh, while the other went into Nightfall’s exposed stomach. Nightfall let out an aborted shout of betrayal, before her eyes slowly slid shut. The two of them laid bonelessly on the ground. 

Ash let out a tiny giggle as she poked Dark Claw in the chest, letting him fall. The bandages let out a tiny poof of dust as his hands hit the ground. 

Little Cato spun around and launched the darts in his hand forward. Bright blue-tipped darts hitting Awe in the shoulders and sending the shapeshifter to xir knees. 

Distantly, he could almost hear Daybreak's laughter and praise.

_ ‘Now look at that! The icy glare, the planning, the double-cross, and those darts kiddo! Why didn’t ya tell me you could throw like that?’ _

Little Cato nodded at his siblings, grabbing Gary’s wristwatch before standing up and rolling his shoulders. 

“Fox, carry Daybreak outside. I contacted H.U.E and told him to send a helicopter with the SAMES. It should be here soon enough. Ash, I need you to carry the mayor, he might be awake, if he struggles you can knock him out, but don’t kill him.”

"We got enough time?" Fox asked as he gently lifted Daybreak, holding him against his massive chest like a teddy bear. Little Cato nodded.

"The darts should last twenty minutes, and the powder is concentrated on Dark Claw, and with the bandages holding it there it should last long enough, we need to worry about the police but-" Fox chuckled as he walked by, patting his adoptive brother on his shoulder as he walked outside. Little Cato gave an incredulous look, and then laughed softly.

“Why do you even ask if you’re just gonna ignore me?”

“Because I know you’ll handle it!” Fox called back over his shoulder as he carried Daybreak. 

“What are you gonna do?” Ash asked as she walked towards the door where they left the mayor. Leveling an almost concerned glance to where Nightfall and Shock were laying. 

Light flashed in his eyes as a dark grin came over Little Cato’s face. He stalked towards the unconscious heroes, wrists twitching in anticipation. 

“I’m going to send a message.”

Little Cato flicked his wrist, and smiled darkly as a small disc bomb fell into his hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys, work is killing me and the second wave of the virus is just going to get worse. This just kinda mixed together to make writer's block kick my ass. The good news is my finals are done, and I should be getting my medication today, hopefully. Be safe out there everyone, and hopefully, the next chapter will be better.


End file.
